I Told You You're Mine
by stephfarrow94
Summary: When Bel admits to Mammon he has been cheating on him with Fran, Mammon knows the only option he has is to get his revenge by using Fran. B26 MB One-sided M26, MammonxBel BelxFran one-sided Mammon x Fran, yaoi, rape, AU.
1. Chapter 1

Bel had waited a long time for the perfect moment to tell his best friend of eighteen years and lover of twelve that, for the past five months, he had been seeing someone else. Of course, when it came to Belphegor, his 'perfect moments' were in fact the worst moments he could have chosen.

"Mammy~" The two were curled up in Mammon's bed, the smaller male tucked tightly against the blond's chest, the two having just finished a passionate love session. The indigo-haired man had his face – eyes hidden behind a large hood he never seemed to take off – buried against his lover's chest, a tad more relaxed than usual. "Mammy, the prince has to tell you something important~"

"I'm listening," Mammon mumbled. "What's wrong?"

Bel took a deep breath as he tangled his fingers in Mammon's locks, pulling the older male closer. He sighed, knowing that no matter how he phrased it, he was going to hurt Mammon anyway; he may as well just be truthful about it without beating around the bush.

"...For the past five months, I've been seeing someone else..." Bel glanced away as he felt the slighter body in his arms tense. "I-"

"-Why didn't you tell me...?" Mammon didn't sound upset – he sounded as if he were so angry, it was taking all his strength not to lash out at his lover. "Why didn't you... tell me...?"

"O-oi, the prince is telling Mammy _now_!" Bel admitted. "It's just... Mammy, the prince wants to break up..."

Bel expected for the older male to become angry at these words, but what he hadn't expected was for the other to become violent. He whimpered as a small fist punched him in the face, fighting against all instinct which told him to _kill_.

"Mammy, stop it!" Bel demanded – while he had never hurt Mammon before, the blond was the violent one of the two, and he wasn't used to being the one hit first. "Don't hit me!"

The indigo-haired male pulled out of his boyfriend's arms and climbed off the bed. He grabbed his discarded clothing from the floor, turning to glare at the younger man. "Get your shit and leave. Don't fucking come back, Bel."

Bel rubbed his face tenderly as he frowned after the smaller male. He felt blood dripping from his nose, but he didn't focus on it; he instead grabbed his phone from the bedside table and dialled his adoptive parent's number. It was late at night and Bel was probably waking the other up, so he expected the shouting and abuse he got when his call was answered.

"Squ-Squ...?" Bel sounded so sad, it quickly shut the raging man on the other line up. "...Squ-Squ, Mammy and I broke up... Can you help the prince move his stuff?"

"..." For once, the long-haired man named Squalo spoke a quiet voice. "...Yeah... Yeah, I'll be there soon. You'll be staying at ours again?"

"Mhmm... Thank you, Squ-Squ..." Bel ended the call before he followed Mammon's example and dressed himself. He left the bedroom, passing the older male in the hallway as he went to wait outside in the cold for Squalo to arrive.

The blond thought about texting the lover he had been seeing for all this time, but he decided against it; Bel knew his other lover would be fast asleep, trying to rest for a big day of school tomorrow.

It wasn't that Bel didn't love Mammon anymore – he _did! _– it was just that, after so long of being together, Bel had grown bored and wanted someone else. He hadn't meant to hurt Mammon, but he just hadn't known what to do until now.

Rain started falling as a car drove down the deserted neighbourhood, the headlights bright as the car pulled up next to the curb Bel stood on. The silver-haired male and his scarred lover got out of the car, Squalo coming to pat the blond on the shoulder in his attempt at soothing the younger.

"You alright, brat?" Squalo asked, his tone tender for a change. He frowned when Bel nodded, knowing not to push the subject. "Get your car from the garage; we'll load both of them up and get out of here as soon as we can."

"Okay..." Bel hadn't thought it would hurt this much to break up with Mammon – it was like his chest was being ripped apart with every breath he took. He went back inside the house, grabbing his keys from the coffee table, doing as instructed.

It didn't take long to get all of Bel's belongings with three hands helping out, and soon enough he found himself taking back his old bedroom at his adoptive parents' house. He didn't sleep for the rest of the night, instead feeling as if he were going to throw up.

The blond was thankful he still had the support of his adoptive parents.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Fran... Fran. _Fran!_ Wake up!"

"Hmm-wha...?" Teal eyes snapped open as their owner pushed himself into a sitting position, the blanket hanging off one shoulder as Fran looked around in confusion, eventually focusing on the man standing in the doorway of his bedroom. "Master...?"

"You turned your alarm off again, didn't you?" the blue-haired male held a disapproving look in his heterochromatic eyes.

Fran yawned as he rubbed at his eyes. He shook his head before he answered. "No, Master... I just didn't set it at all last night."

The man – Mukuro - sighed. "Alright. I'll let it go today. Now get ready for school. Don't make me come back in and have to wake you up again."

Fran nodded. He swung his legs out over the edge of his bed, grabbing his phone from beneath his pillow as he did so. He usually got texts from his lover each morning before he woke up, so he was surprised to find there was none today.

"Stupid senpai must still be sleeping..." Fran couldn't help but feel disappointed as he threw his phone back onto his bed and instead left the room to have a shower.

When the boy came back into his bedroom, he found he had an unread text from a number he didn't recognise on his screen. Opening the message, he found it was from Bel.

_Hey, Froggy~ _ the message started, _I broke up with Mammy last night, so I'm staying with my adoptive parents until I can find my own place. I must have left my phone there last night or something because I can't find it anywhere. This is Xanxus' number, so please don't use it or he'll get mad and yell at me. I'm going to be busy for a few days so I can't see you, but I'll text you once I find my phone or buy a new one. Love you, Froggy~ -Prince_

Fran smiled to himself as he closed the message, knowing that Bel had said not to reply to the number. He wondered if Xanxus knew Bel had his phone or not, but that wasn't the important thing here; it was going to be a lonely next few days until he could see Bel again.


	2. Chapter 2

It took a bit over a week for Bel to sort himself out again, but he had eventually found a somewhat large house on the other side of town. He had moved in with the help of Squalo, and with that out of the way, he had also replaced his phone. It was a joy to finally be able to talk to his younger lover again, and Fran seemed just as happy as he was.

The boy had just made his way home from school, having walked the distance since his guardian was at work. He closed the front door behind him as he dropped his bag to the door, pulling out only what he needed to work on. He slid his text book and loose pages onto the coffee table in the living room before he went into the kitchen and got a drink, deciding he would talk to his lover for a bit before he got stuck into advanced mathematics.

_Are you busy? _The teal-haired male typed, knowing that with Bel being as lazy as he was, he was most likely just lazing about on the couch watching TV or playing video games.

_Never for my Froggy~ _came the near-instant reply. _What's up?_

_I just wanted to talk to you for a bit before I did my homework. Master isn't home._

As predicted, Fran's phone started ringing, the blond's name popping up on the screen. The corner of the boy's lips lifted as he answered the call. "Hello, senpai."

"So Mukuro isn't home, is he?" Bel purred, his voice husky.

"No. He won't be home until after dinner."

"Shishi~ What is Froggy wearing~?"

Fran's voice never wavered as he replied, despite his groin hardening in response to the question. "My school uniform, senpai."

"Mmm... Froggy does look sexy in his uniform. Anything underneath?"

"The frog boxers you bought for me." Teasing the tips of his fingers over the waistband of his pants, Fran debated on whether or not to slip his hand beneath them. "What about senpai?"

"My striped shirt, of course~ Nothing else~"

Fran gulped as he nodded, shifting so that he could reach into his boxers easier; though his hands were small, it was still a tight fit. In a breathless voice, he questioned, "Why?"

"Because the prince was thinking about his Froggy earlier~ Mm, Froggy... Are you going to be a naughty boy for me?"

"I always am..." Fran's breathing hitched as he wrapped a hand around his engorged shaft. "B-bel...senpai..."

"Does it feel good, Froggy? Does it feel the same way it does when _I _touch you?"

"Bel-senpai...!" Fran let a soft moan escape his lips as he caressed the tip with his thumb. "Bel-senpai, I-I...!"

"Does Froggy want me to touch him~? I'd love to touch my Froggy some more~ He's so beautiful when he comes~"

"Senpai..." Fran sucked in a breath as he squeezed himself. "Senpai, you..."

"Talk dirty to me, Froggy~" Bel hissed something inaudible before he moaned. "Make me come~"

Fran groaned at the request, his arousal heightening once more. He had never been asked to do something like this before, and he really had no idea what to say – Bel was always the one who initiated this kind of thing, and the one who spoke the most during said acts.

"Senpai... is so big..." Fran mumbled. He whimpered as he felt his shaft pulse in his hands, knowing he wasn't going to last long. "He makes me... horny... I want senpai... mmm... to be my first..."

"Shishi~ I will be~" the blond promised.

Fran's body tensed at these words as he cried out, feeling his seed spill out over his hand. "S-senpai!"

"Shit... Just a little more, Froggy..." Bel grunted as he worked harder at himself. "Almost... there... Make more noises for me, Froggy..."

Fran whimpered as he came down from his high, letting out a soft moan. He heard his boyfriend grunt again before the other muttered something, a sure sign he had reached his climax as well.

"Froggy..." Bel panted as he addressed the younger. "Froggy, I love you."

"I love you, too, senpai..." The boy wiped at his sweaty forehead, still trying to catch his breath. "Can I come over after school tomorrow?"

Bel hummed. "The prince wants to introduce Froggy to Squ-Squ and Xanxus~ Can he?"

"Sure. Do they... Do they know...?"

"Nah~ I'll just tell them we started dating today~ Shishi~"

"Wow, senpai; introducing your boyfriend of one day to your adoptive parents? Will they even buy that?"

"Probably not~ But they won't ask questions~ I'll pick you up after school, Froggy, so get your homework done so we can text tonight, 'kay?"

"Okay. Bye, senpai."

"See you, Froggy~"

Fran wiped at his forehead again before he stood up, heading to the bathroom. He washed his hands and made sure to clean all evidence of his previous session, knowing Mukuro would be very unhappy to know that the younger had used the couch.

Once the boy was satisfied with how clean he was again, Fran sat back down in the living room, getting to work on mathematics.

_**~~XX~~**_

"I'm home, little one."

Fran turned to look over the back of the couch, finding Mukuro standing by the door, shrugging his coat off to hang on the hook. "Hello, Master."

"Have you had dinner yet?" Heterochromatic eyes took on a pleased expression as a bowl of fettuccini was raised into his view. "You're eating late tonight."

"I was texting Bel-senpai. I put a bowl in the microwave for you, Master."

"Thank you, little one." Mukuro moved into the kitchen, grabbing his dinner from the microwave. He moved to join Fran on the couch, regarding the homework that had been spread out before them. "Did you finish it all?"

"Yeah. Can you help me with some questions, though? I didn't quite understand them."

The blue-haired male nodded. "We'll do them now."

Fran grabbed the text book and opened it to the middle. He pointed out a question, giving Mukuro time to read it. He went to take another mouthful of his dinner, only to frown as the bowl was pulled from his hands.

"What have I told you about that?" Mukuro sighed as he put Fran's food on the coffee table. "When you're doing homework, don't divide your attention."

"Sorry, Master." The boy jumped as he felt his phone vibrate from his pocket, and he instinctively pulled it out to check the text. "Hey!"

"Little one..." Mukuro pocketed the device as he gave a disapproving look to his junior. "It's called context-dependent cues, so you won't learn anything if you keep using your phone and eating while you're trying to study. You can have them back after I help you with these."

"Master is just a big bully sometimes." Fran sniffed before he sat back, waiting for Mukuro to explain the questions to him.

"Only to you." A playful smirk crossed the man's lips. "Okay; give me a spare sheet of paper; I'll show you the formula for these."

Fran did as he was instructed, listening carefully to what he was being taught.

_**~~XX~~**_

"I don't know why you're not supporting us, Master." Teal eyes held a hurt look as they regarded Mukuro.

"I never said I didn't support you; I merely believe he isn't the right one for you." Mukuro sighed as he tried to explain himself. "I just think you should be with someone your own age, and who's a bit more... well, _stable_."

"But, Master, I _love _him," Fran argued. "And _he _loves _me_. He's going to take me to meet his adoptive parents tomorrow."

"I don't know, Fran... You know how I feel about this. Are you _sure _he's just not after sex?"

"We haven't _had _sex yet, Master; I'm sure if that was all he cared about, he'd have left by now."

"Maybe, but I _know _you let him touch you..."

"That's different, Master. I know Bel-senpai won't hurt me." Fran moved closer, resting his head on his guardian's shoulder. "I'm not a kid anymore; I know what I'm doing, Master. I won't get hurt – I promise."

"..." Mukuro closed his eyes before he nodded. He knew that Fran was old enough to make his own decisions, and if he couldn't see that this would surely lead to trouble, he'd just have to let it happen and hope Fran would learn.

It would surely hurt them both if something happened because of Fran's naivety, but hopefully it would help in the long run.

"By the way," Mukuro started as he remembered something important, "did you have a friend over today?"

"No. Why?" Fran looked confused at these words.

"I was just wondering why there was a car sitting out of the front of the house. They left when I pulled into the driveway."

"No; I haven't seen anyone after I got home."

"..." Mukuro wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder. "Alright. Call me if it happens again."

Fran nodded. "Yes, Master."

"Good. You should get some sleep soon, little one; it's getting late."

"I will."

Mukuro hummed in approval before he turned his attention back to the TV. He knew it was difficult looking after Fran at times, but it really _was _worth it; he loved the boy as if he were Mukuro's own, and he'd be devastated if anything ever happened to him.


	3. Chapter 3

"_Voi, brat. What are you doing?" _

"_Piss off, trash." _

"_Don't fucking talk to a kid like that, you fuckass! Brat, I'm talking to you!" _

"_He's either retarded or he's mute."_

"_I think he's hungry. Here, kid. Have some – Voi! Don't run away!" _

"_Stupid shark trash scared him off."_

Bel awoke with a startled cry. He whimpered as he looked around at his dark surroundings, beads of sweat rolling down his face. He hated being alone as it brought up memories he wished he never had. He needed someone by his side, or at least close by in order to feel safe, and living by himself for the first time in eighteen years was already taking its toll on him.

"F-froggy..." Bel pulled one of his pillows into his arms, hugging it tight. He reached out, grabbing his phone from the bedside table, sending a quick text with shaking fingers to Fran, asking if the boy was awake. He waited impatiently for a few minutes, but when no reply came, he knew Fran was sleeping.

Opening his contact list, the blond scrolled down to Squalo's name. He clicked on it, bringing up the number. Pressing the call button, Bel held the phone to his ear as he listened to the dial tone.

"Voi... What is it, brat...?" Squalo sounded tired, but understanding at the same time as he answered the younger's call.

"...I can't sleep..." Bel sighed as he threaded his fingers through his blond locks. "Froggy is still sleeping, too..."

"Nightmares again?" The older male yawned. He nodded when Bel hummed in agreement. "You can move back in with us if you want to. You know that."

"I know... But I don't want to; I just don't like being on my own..."

"Yeah... What do you want me to do, Belphegor? Do I need to come over or something?"

"Can you tell me a bedtime story or somethin'?" Bel knew he was being childish, but Squalo's voice really did soothe him.

"Aren't you a bit old for bedtime stories?" Squalo sighed when he hear the other utter a small 'no', but he didn't refuse. "Alright... Once upon a time, there was a prince..."

"Shishi~ I like this story, Squ-Squ~"

"I'm sure you do, brat." On the other end of the line, Squalo rolled his eyes before he continued. "Anyway, aforementioned prince..."

Bel listened with glee to the story, but halfway through, his eyelids had become too heavy to hold open anymore, and soon enough, his peaceful breathing indicated to Squalo that he had fallen asleep.

The silver-haired man muttered a soft, "Goodnight..." before he ended the call, knowing he wouldn't hear back from the young man again tonight.

_**~~XX~~**_

Fran had been a bit worried to wake up and find that Bel had been texting him at three in the morning, but the man had seemed fine when the boy texted him back in the morning. He had thought about it during school, wondering what was bothering his boyfriend, but he knew that with the home bell having just rang, he could always ask Bel in just a few minutes.

As expected, Bel was parked out the front of the school, tapping away at his phone as he waited for his young boyfriend.

The corners of Fran's lips tugged upwards as he moved towards the car, opening the door just a minute later. He threw his bag onto the backseat before he sat comfortably in the front, doing his seatbelt up.

"How was school?" Bel leant across, pressing his lips against Fran's softly.

"It was okay. We had an English test in my last class."

"Do you think you passed it?" The blond started the engine, guiding the vehicle out of the park in a haphazard manner.

Fran nodded. "I think so."

"Froggy is smart; he'll have passed easy." The older male pulled into a side street, turning the car around to head back in the opposite direction. "I was talking to Squ-Squ~ He and Xanxus are home, so they said to come over~"

The boy was looking forward to meeting his boyfriend's adoptive parents. He didn't know much about them as talking about his childhood seemed to be a taboo topic, but it was clear that Bel loved them both very much, always excited whenever they came up in conversation.

"Do you think they'll like me?" Fran didn't care either way, but it was always a bonus to be liked by your partner's parents, whether biological or not.

"Yup~" Bel held a dopy grin on his face, seemingly relaxing as he let his foot off the accelerator, steering a bit more calmly now. "They're loud, but they don't mean anything by it – Froggy will be able to tell if they don't like him."

Fran nodded. He was looking forward to this, just glad to have to no longer have to hide his relationship with Bel – he could be as open with him as he wanted to be now that the blond was no longer cheating on someone else with him.

_**~~XX~~**_

"This is my new boyfriend~" Bel giggled as he moved Fran to stand in front of him, obscured eyes glinting with excitement as he regarded the two adults. "His name is Fran~"

Xanxus just grunted as he turned his attention back to the newspaper in his hands. Squalo, who was sitting on the couch beside him, tilted his head as his eyebrows furrowed together, not quite sure what was going on; Bel had just broken up with Mammon – someone he loved dearly – so why had he moved on so quick...?

"He's a bit short," Squalo pointed out. "How old are you, kid?"

"Seventeen." Fran knew where this was heading; he had heard it from Mukuro enough times to know.

Turning back to Bel, Squalo frowned. "He's a bit young for you, isn't he...?"

"Nope~" Bel wrapped his arms around Fran's chest, pulling the boy tight against him. "Froggy is the prince's boyfriend, and he is loved very much~"

"Do your parents know you're dating an adult?" Xanxus turned to glare at the younger two, a tad worried about what was going through Bel's mind at this – what kind of twenty-six-year-old dated a high-schooler?

"I don't have any parents." Fran shrugged.

"Oh..." While Xanxus ignored the two again, it was Squalo who felt remorse at his partner's question. "He didn't know..."

"I know. It doesn't matter, though. I'm happy with who I'm living with." Fran was sincere as he spoke, and he knew Squalo could understand that, being an adoptive parent.

"Are you going to stay for dinner with us?" The long-haired man asked, his voice seemingly softer than it had been at first.

"If senpai is." The boy looked up at his boyfriend, wanting to smile as the other nodded in a dumbly manner.

The blond reached down, picking Fran up into his arms as he moved over to the couch the older males were sitting on. He threw himself down between the armrest and Squalo, adjusting Fran so that he was seated comfortably in his lap.

"What are we watching, Squ-Squ?" The blond's tongue stuck out of the corner of his lips, more laid-back in this moment than he had been in a long time.

"Voi! Put your tongue back in your mouth, you freak!" Squalo scolded. "It creeps me out when you do shit like that! It's like you're going to lick me or something!"

"Shishi~ You know the prince too well~" The man did as he was told, wrapping his arms around a frail waist. He held Fran tight as he sunk into the couch, happy to be here with everyone.

Fran wasn't complaining either; he wasn't sure what movie was playing on the TV, but it was enough to keep him interested – and he would never pass up the chance to cuddle with his boyfriend, either.

_**~~XX~~**_

Dinner was going well, Fran found. He was comfortable with Bel's family, and though he was sure a lot of other people would be intimidated by the near-violent arguments Xanxus and Squalo had, he found them quite entertaining.

Fran was rather enjoying hearing Squalo talk about someone he knew; he had a bit of a sadistic streak in him, and it amused him greatly to hear about other peoples' misfortunes – don't get him wrong; he wasn't heartless, but nothing made him almost laugh more than hearing about someone's clumsiness.

"Yeah, but then the Bucking Horse tripped over his own feet." Squalo chuckled at his own story, earning a giggle from a greatly-interested Bel, a very, _very _faint smile from Fran. "It might not have been so bad if it weren't a windy day, but all that homework he spent _hours _on just blew away into the distance. The teacher wouldn't even believe that he'd done it all and gave him detention."

"I'm glad that hasn't happened to me; Master would skewer me with his trident if he believed I wasn't doing my homework."

"He sounds like he's serious about being a proper parent." A grin crossed Squalo's face as he stabbed his fork down into his pasta. "That's good; I like to hear there are still decent people out there who are doing their role well."

Fran nodded. "He gets mad easy, but he means well."

"Squ-Squ always yells~" Bel laughed at his own words before he continued. "When the prince was younger, he was really, really grumpy because he was so tired. Squ-Squ wouldn't let me have my lunch until we got back to the company, so the prince bit him, and Squ-Squ kicked the prince's ass in front of a whole group of people~"

"Senpai, why are you talking about that with a smile?" Fran tilted his head. "Normal people don't laugh at getting beaten."

"Yeah, but Squ-Squ dragged the prince back to the company and then gave him a big hug~ He's such a softy at heart~"

"Hey, don't go around telling others that shit!" Squalo growled. "I have a reputation to keep!"

Fran made a soft, only just audible noise, as he laughed. He liked Squalo, though he wasn't too sure on Xanxus as the man seemed to be quiet and glared at everyone as if he were planning on the best way to murder them all.

Squalo, too, liked Fran; it was nice to see Bel so at ease around someone he hadn't known for long, it usually taking several months before he warmed up to strangers. Fran seemed like a good kid, too, and that was what Bel needed in his life.

All-in-all, despite having known Mammon long before they took Bel in, Squalo had never completely liked the idea of them being together; Bel deserved better, in his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Bel was always grateful for the fact that, every time he came to visit his adoptive parents, he would leave with a carton of chocolate milk. Chocolate milk was his favourite, and Squalo stocked up on it just for him.

The blond was standing by the front door with Fran at his side, Squalo laughing at something the teal-haired male had said. Xanxus was looming behind the silver-haired man, looking rather bored and at the same time, annoyed.

"You're a good kid." Squalo patted teal hair softly before he regarded Bel with stern eyes. "Look after this one."

"I will~" Bel leant down, placing a sloppy kiss on Fran's cheek. He giggled as the younger tried to push him away, knowing that the teal-haired male was embarrassed; he had always wanted to keep their shows of affection between them. "The prince better get his Froggy home, Squ-Squ~ Froggy has school tomorrow."

Squalo followed the younger two down to the curb. He stood on the lawn as he watched Bel pull his keys from his pocket. "Will we be expecting you tomorrow, brat?"

"Of course~ I want to... Squ-Squ...?"

Squalo tore his eyes from the purple car that had just passed them. He looked at Bel, finding stress on the younger's face. "Yes?"

"Was that... Was that Mammy's car...?" Bel's voice was unusually soft, and it concerned Fran.

"I think so – but it was probably nothing, shithead; he _has _to pass here to get back home."

"But..." The blond reached out, pulling Fran into his arms. "...Froggy..."

"Ah..." The older male understood now; Bel was afraid of any repercussions falling back on Fran. It made sense to worry about such a thing; Mammon _was _the vengeful type, and he was known to be jealous at times. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Belphegor; don't worry so much. Let me know if anything happens."

"Senpai?" Fran was quick to pick up on the tension in the air. He tugged at Bel's jacket, getting the man's attention. "Senpai, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, Froggy." Bel picked the smaller male up, carrying him the rest of the distance to the car. "It doesn't matter."

Fran was smart enough to know that it _did _matter, and part of him recalled Mukuro's words about a car having been parked out the front of his home last night. He wondered if it was linked, but he didn't bring it up; he trusted Bel to tell him if there was something he needed to know.

"Does Froggy want to spend the night at my house?" Bel opened the passenger side door and placed the boy in the seat.

"I can't, senpai; you know I'm not allowed to when I have school."

"Mukuro's no fun." Bel pouted before he closed the car door. He turned to Squalo, reaching out to hug the taller male tightly. He smiled once again as he rubbed his cheek against the older male's chest, giggling as he felt a feather-light touch on his shoulders; Squalo had never been one for physical contact. "See ya later, Squ-Squ~"

"Yeah..." Squalo cleared his throat as he pulled his hands back to his person. He slipped them into his pockets, eyes darting away from the blond. "See you then."

For good measure, Bel licked Squalo's cheek before he scurried away to the driver's side, giggling to himself as the man shouted at him. He sent Fran his most charming grin as he started the car, feeling the younger's eyes on him.

"Yes, Froggy? Shishi~"

"Nothing." The boy turned to look out of the window, watching the street go past them. "I do have a question though; why were you texting me so early yesterday?"

Bel tensed slightly before he relaxed, knowing he could tell Fran anything. "...I was having nightmares again... I just... needed someone. That's all."

"Sorry I didn't wake up, senpai; I always keep my phone on silent when I'm sleeping."

"Eh, it's not Froggy's fault; I shouldn't have bothered you so early."

"If you needed me, it's fine, senpai." The younger reached out, placing his hand on Bel's, the blond resting one hand in his lap as he steered casually. "You know I'm always here for you."

"Thank you, Froggy~ The prince is here for you, too~"

Fran offered a slight smile before he turned back to the window. He was introverted by nature, and this was most obvious during car rides as he would much rather sit in peaceful silence than converse.

It didn't take long for Bel to arrive at his boyfriend's home. He parked neatly against the curb as he turned the headlights off, waiting for Fran to grab his schoolbag and step out into the cold night air before he deprived the boy of the warm heater.

"Kyouya's over." Fran pointed to the extra car parked in the driveway. "I bet Master is too occupied to even realise we're here."

"Ushishi~ Than let's stay downstairs and play some videogames for a while." Bel slipped his hands into his pockets as he followed his boyfriend up the path, glancing behind him on the way to make sure he hadn't been followed – the last thing he wanted to do was let Mammon find out who he had been cheated on with because he _knew _if anything _did _happen because of that, it would be _Fran _it would be taken out on.

Fran pulled his key from his bag before he unlocked the door, letting it swing open. The lights were all on but, as predicted, Mukuro nor his boyfriend were anywhere in sight.

"What game do you want to play, senpai?" Tossing his schoolbag by the front door, Fran led the way into the living room.

"Anything~" Bel grinned in excitement as he tossed himself onto the couch, waiting eagerly for the gaming controller to be handed to him. He let his eyes wander over the younger's backside as Fran knelt down, setting up the console, and it took all his willpower to fight back his arousal; he knew that Fran wasn't yet ready for sex, and he didn't want to rush him.

It took just a minute more for Fran to slide in the disk and then sit on the couch next to the man, each of them holding controllers. The boy rested against Bel's side as he relaxed, loving the proximity; he wasn't used to letting people so close to him, so it was something he was still getting used to.

"Whoever loses this round has to give the winner a blowjob," Bel declared as he selected his character.

"You're on, senpai."

"Shishi~ Better get your little mouth ready, Froggy~"

Fran made a small noise of amusement, but he didn't reply; he'd just let time work its course.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Shouldn't you be in bed by now?"

Fran paused the game as he turned to look over the back of the couch. Mukuro's boyfriend, Kyouya, was standing by the entrance hall, a glass of water in his hand.

"Shouldn't you still be fucking with Master?" Teal eyes shone with amusement at his own words.

"I'll bite you to death, herbivore," the raven growled as he advanced on the younger.

"But if Kyouya does that, than he won't get any sex for months," the teal-haired male pointed out.

"..." Kyouya's eyes just narrowed as he turned around, heading back upstairs.

"Shishi~ That was fun~" Bel stretched before he looked at his wristwatch, dismayed to see that it was getting late; Mukuro was strict on weekdays, and he'd probably be down here any minute demanding for Fran to get to sleep. "Do you always piss him off like that?"

Fran nodded. "I piss everyone off, senpai."

"That's true, shishi~ Anyway, the prince had better –"

"-Fran!" As expected, Mukuro was descending the stairs, a blue night robe covering his thin body. He looked annoyed as he stepped into the room, and Fran knew it was because he had been torn away from his 'Kyouya time'. "Fran, what are you doing up? Get to bed!"

"Master, senpai is here." Fran gestured to his boyfriend. "We were playing videogames."

"I can see that, Fran, but it's eleven-thirty! You have school tomorrow!"

"Don't mind me; I was just about to leave anyway." Bel stood up from the couch, stifling a yawn as he did so. "It's my fault he's still up."

Mukuro sighed before he nodded. "It's okay. Fran, say goodbye and then go straight to bed."

Fran nodded as he, too, stood up. He followed Bel out of the house and back down the path, moving on to the road to stand by the driver's side so he could say goodbye.

"Senpai, I – ouch." Lifting his foot up, Fran lightly ran his thumb over it, having stepped on something sharp. He frowned as he felt sticky liquid running down his flesh, wondering what he had stepped on. "Senpai, I think I stepped on glass."

"Yeah, I think you did, too..." Bel sounded pissed off at these words, and when Fran looked up at him and found the blond staring intensely at his car, the boy couldn't help but wonder what had happened. "Some fucking prick smashed my windows and keyed my car."

Now that Bel had mentioned it, Fran _did _see all the scratches adorning the sleek black vehicle, and the window that previously had been in tact was now shattered all over the ground. He felt annoyed at this, knowing how much Bel loved his car; he knew it had been a gift from Xanxus and Squalo, and was the very first car the man had ever owned.

"When I find out who did it, I'm going to slit their fucking throats!" Bel huffed as he moved to Fran, picking the shoeless male up. "Let's get you back inside before you hurt yourself."

Fran nodded, knowing that was ideal – he didn't particularly want a foot full of glass, after all.

_**~~XX~~**_

Mammon had been surprised when he had driven past Squalo and Xanxus' house on his way home and found not only those two but Bel and the boy Mammon _knew _was the one the blond had left him for. During the night of the breakup, the only thing Bel had left behind was his phone, and it had taken only reading through his ex's messages to realise that whoever Bel had been seeing behind his back was named Fran.

After a bit of investigation fuelled by prompts in those messages, such as Fran's carer being named Mukuro and what school the boy went to, Mukuro had a hunch; he knew a Mukuro – though they weren't on friendly terms – that had taken in a boy several years ago after their grandmother became too old to look after him.

Following the teenager from school was simple enough, but it still hadn't answered Mammon's question of whether or not this was truly the one he wanted to use to get back at Bel for hurting him so badly.

But now, seeing clear as day the relationship between Bel and Fran, there was no doubt in Mammon's mind that _this _was the little shit he was after.

Belphegor was a very smart person – a genius, he had often been praised – but it seemed that even he hadn't noticed that he had been followed back to Fran's house by a car with no headlights on. In fact, the man had been so absorbed in playing videogames and taking turns giving blowjobs to the toad-like creature, he hadn't even noticed that his precious car was being smashed just out the front of the house.

Mammon had considered slashing the tires, but he didn't want to give his ex any more reason to spend the night and go further with the brat than he probably already had.

And to his extreme amusement, once again the male was completely oblivious to the occupied car sitting on the other side of the road, the sole occupant watching everything with eager eyes.

If there was one thing Mammon was known for, it was for taking drastic measures to those who crossed him. It seemed that even after eighteen years, Bel still hadn't learnt that.

Mammon shook his head. That poor, naive little boy had no idea what he had just started.


	5. Chapter 5

Fran was used to peaceful nights as he waited for Mukuro to finish work. He had already had his dinner and finished his homework, and he was waiting on the couch with a bowl of ice cream as he watched the TV. His laptop sat on the coffee table in front of him, his Facebook abandoned in favour of watching a movie. His phone vibrated in his pocket with an incoming email, but he didn't check it; he cared only if they were texts from Bel.

It bothered Fran to see the same car from the past week parked out the front of his home, but so far it had done nothing but sit there – he wasn't even sure if there was anyone in the vehicle as it was too dark to tell, but they seemed rather harmless. Besides; if he felt threatened, he could always close the living room curtains and double-check that the front door was locked.

It was quiet in the house, the soft whisper of the TV just audible. Fran was so relaxed, it was no surprise the sudden shattering of the window next to him made him jump from the couch in shock. Wide teal eyes stared at the remnants of the glass, so startled he was barely aware of the cuts he had received. The brick that lay at his feet was what made Fran realise he had been foolish in ignoring that car – they had probably been planning something all along.

Fran knew he should have listened to Mukuro when the man said to call him if the car kept coming back, and now he was paying whatever price could have been avoided.

The boy winced as he tried to leave the living room, the glass shards scattered far and wide and cutting his feet open with each step he took. He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere soon, and if someone decided to climb in through the window and attack him, he would be an easy target.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, the boy opened his contact list and dialled for Kyouya. He stared warily at the window as he listened to the dial tone, becoming more nervous with each second that passed; he was a sitting duck standing here like this with no idea what to expect.

"What, herbivore?"

"Kyouya..." Fran hissed in pain as he noticed a cut on his forehead, having scratched at it by accident. "Kyouya, someone's thrown a brick through the window... My feet are too cut up to move..."

"Don't hang up; I'm on my way." There was the sound of shuffling in the background before Kyouya spoke again. "Tell me if anything happens."

Fran wanted to move back to the couch and take pressure off his feet, but he knew he would only add more injuries to himself; the black material glittered with glass, and he didn't particularly feel like having to have his rear examined for any glass that went in too deep.

"Kyouya... It hurts..." Fran sighed as his legs started to shake with the weight that was just too heavy for injured feet to support like this.

"I'll be there soon."

Fran remained silent as he waited impatiently for the man to come; he could admit that he was scared, having never been put in this situation before – he wanted Mukuro, and he wanted the man to hug him tight and reassure him that everything would be okay.

The soft wail of sirens in the background of his phone call alerted Fran to the fact that Kyouya was indeed on his way, and caring enough to treat this as an emergency when he technically didn't have to as no one had attacked Fran yet.

Fran shivered as a cold draft floated in through the smashed window. He was sure he could hear someone walking around in the flowerbed beneath the window, but he was too scared to call out – he wasn't usually this full of emotion, but the unknown of what was going to happen was _frightening _to him.

"K-kyouya, how far away are you?" Fran whispered, afraid of gathering any unwelcome attention.

"Five minutes. Stay calm."

Fran nodded, more to himself. His eyes were fixed on the outside world, convinced that he would eventually see someone walking into view. His mind was playing tricks on him, telling him that there would be a knife or even a gun involved with this and that there was no way out until Kyouya arrived.

"Kyouya..." Fran couldn't help but start to tremble; he didn't want any trouble – he just wanted things to go back to normal. He didn't want anyone to start beating him, or assault him in any other way, and he most certainly didn't want to be _murdered _– he was young, and he wanted to live his life without things like this happening.

"Almost there."

With a loud cry of pain, Fran fell forward as an exploding pain spread through his face, blood obscuring his vision. He whimpered as he fell further into the glass, but it hardly compared to the splitting pain that obstructed even his thinking. He didn't know what had hit him, but something heavy enough had been thrown at his head to make him feel as if he were on the verge of blacking out.

Fran shivered, holding his bleeding face, as he heard an engine starting out the front of his house. He knew it belonged to the car parked against the curb, and it upset him he had never bothered getting a license plate number or even a general description of the vehicle, because it would be useless to have nothing to narrow even the make and model down.

The roaring of the engine disappeared from Fran's hearing just a minute before the loud cry of sirens filled the air. He whimpered as he tried to move, only to lay still once again as his body throbbed angrily in protest. He shuddered as he heard Kyouya kick the door open, only to relax once the man was by his side, knowing he was safe now. The droning sirens continued to wail, and the flashing of police lights was visible through the shattered window.

"K-kyouya..."

The addressed man never slipped his gun back into its holster; he instead held it close to him as he slid his arm beneath Fran's, lifting the light boy into the air. Taking the hint, Fran wrapped his arms around the raven's neck, hugging tight to the strong body with his legs.

"What happened?" Kyouya held his gun at the ready as he carried Fran out of the house, taking him down to the police cruiser. He sat the younger in the passenger seat before he reached over, turning off the sirens. "Are they still here?"

Fran shook his head. "They left just before you came..."

"I'll go check the house. Stay here and keep the doors locked."

Fran's vision blurred as he did as told. He locked himself in the cruiser, leaning down so that he wasn't visible through the windows at a distance. He trembled in both pain and fear for the several minutes it took Kyouya to the search the house, and when the man returned back just a few minutes later, he was hesitant to unlock the doors.

"You really have terrible luck with broken glass, herbivore." Kyouya turned around as he heard several of the neighbours approach, obviously concerned about what had happened; Fran and Mukuro stuck to themselves and not much was heard from them in the neighbourhood, so it was surprising a cop of all people was here on an emergency. "Return to your homes; I'll knock on your doors soon to ask questions."

The muttering only increased at this, but Kyouya ignored it; he instead reached out and grabbed the radio, calling for an ambulance to attend the scene.

"Here's a first aid kit." The skylark opened the glove compartment and resurfaced with a small box. "I can't do much in terms of glass, but that head wound looks pretty nasty."

Fran just moaned in response, fighting to keep his consciousness.

_**~~XX~~**_

Mukuro really hadn't been expecting much as he turned into his neighbourhood, so the flashing lights further down the street made him curious; it wasn't often trouble happened here as it was a quiet street.

But once the blue-haired man got close enough to realise that emergency services were parked out the front of his house, the front door off its hinges while the living room window lay in ruins, Mukuro panicked and assumed the worst.

Pulling his car into the driveway, Mukuro was quick to exit the vehicle and run towards the ambulance, finding Kyouya standing by the police cruiser as if he had been waiting for the younger male.

"Kyouya!" Heterochromatic eyes held deep concern as they regarded the smaller male. "Kyouya, what's going on?!"

"I don't quite understand myself." Kyouya was quiet as he explained things. "He called me and said someone had smashed the window, and that he had cut his feet open and couldn't move. I got here as fast as I could, but there was no one around."

"And the ambulance?"

"He's got some nasty cuts all over his body, and a head wound. The paramedics say he has a concussion, and the herbivore keeps trying to go to sleep. The paramedics are still trying to rule out any other complications."

Mukuro nodded. He made his way to the back of the ambulance, moving instead to talk to the paramedics about the situation. He was horrified to find dried blood sticking to the front of Fran's uniform, as well as black eyes and bruises behind the boy's ears; he knew, from a medical standpoint, whatever had caused the concussion had hit Fran hard enough to rupture blood vessels.

Kyouya stayed by his cruiser for a few more minutes before he grabbed a small pad from the cruiser, moving instead to the nearest neighbour. He was going to get to the bottom of this, and soon.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel had been dismayed to find that, the next morning, Fran hadn't answered any of texts. He was worried, knowing it was unusual behaviour for Fran to ignore him. Part of him was worried Mammon had done something, but he knew not to jump the gun and become irrational when there was surely a logical explanation for this.

Bel's 'explanation' came in the form of a text being sent through from Fran's phone, but not typed by the boy himself. Instead it was tagged with Mukuro's name at the end, saying that Fran had been assaulted and was currently in the hospital being monitored for a concussion.

_Is Froggy going to be alright? _Bel typed back, chewing at his bottom lip.

_He should be, _came the reply. _He's irritable at the moment and sleeping a lot, but it might take some time before the concussion goes away. I need to keep him home from school and he needs lots of rest, so he might not want to talk much. _

_That's okay. Tell Froggy I love him. _

_Will do. _

Bel was upset that Fran had been hurt, and he wished there was something he could do, but he knew what it was like to have concussions, and he could respect Fran needing time to rest.

"As long as Mammy didn't have anything to do with it..." Bel knew he was probably just being paranoid, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Mammon had _everything _to do with the attack.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Fran? Come on; it's just a simple question."

Fran moaned as he burrowed further beneath the blankets of his hospital bed. He refused to open his eyes, just wanting to go back to sleep. "Leave me 'lone..."

"Just answer yes or no, Fran." Mukuro sighed as his heterochromatic eyes wandered over the boy's bandaged body. "Did you see anyone at all?"

Fran remained still and silent, giving no reply.

"Do you at least know this number, herbivore?" Kyouya held Fran's phone out to the boy, only to sigh as the younger didn't even so much as crack his eyes open.

"Dun'know..." Fran muttered, pulling the blankets tighter around him. "Why...?"

"Because it sent you a text shortly after the attack," Mukuro explained.

"Oh... Dun'know..."

Kyouya glared down at the text in his hands, the entire _context_ of it making him angry. He had seen a lot of things in his career as a police officer, but never before had a simple _You're fucked _made him as angry as this one did; he knew Fran well, and he knew the boy really didn't know enough people to have any enemies – Fran was quiet, and though he had a snarky attitude, he really didn't mean any harm.

Kyouya didn't believe this was a provoked attack as Fran kept to himself and went out of his way to _avoid _people, not to piss them off.

Whatever the reason for the assault, Kyouya wanted to handle this case personally.


	6. Chapter 6

**Just a warning for this chapter; it contains graphic torture and rape. If any of this offends you, PM me and I can summarise the chapter for you. **

In a bit over two weeks, Fran's concussion had healed, and he had just gone back to school again. In the time he had spent resting, he hadn't heard much from Bel, but he knew it was because the blond didn't want to be a bother after what had just happened; Fran was still feeling a tad weak, and was the slightest bit irritable. He knew that Kyouya had been chasing up the case, but there weren't any leads to go by.

Mukuro worried about leaving Fran alone, but he couldn't afford to take any more time off work to look after him. Kyouya was spending the nights at their home, and so far it had been peaceful again.

Currently, Fran was walking home from school, having just turned on to his street. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary today, and he was pleased to find that there was no mysterious car parked out the front of his home today.

Throwing his bag by the front door as he was so accustomed to doing, Fran didn't take anything out of it today; he was still slightly confused, and his thinking wasn't clear – the doctor had told him to wait perhaps a week longer before he indulged in homework again.

Instead, Fran moved upstairs to his bedroom to bring his laptop down. He was wary about sitting on the couch, concerned that a repeat of his attack may happen, but he did so anyway; he had Kyouya's number on speed dial if anything occurred, and he had now gotten into the habit of not taking his shoes off unless he had to – if by chance the window _was _smashed again, he wouldn't be trapped by glass.

It took a minute for the laptop to boot up, and when it did, Fran opened an internet page, logging into his Facebook account. He read the handful of statuses put up by the few people on his friends list before he checked his emails, ignoring what wasn't important.

Clicking back on to the Facebook tab after a while, Fran brought up a conversation with Bel, wondering if the man was at the computer.

_Hello, senpai. _While waiting for a reply, Fran loaded a game, not in the mood for TV at the moment.

Bel never replied, so Fran assumed his boyfriend was busy.

Well, if there was no one around to talk to, Fran may as well have a nap.

_**~~XX~~**_

The sound of the doorbell ringing jolted Fran out of his sleep. He blinked as he lifted his head from the armrest of the couch, deciding he should get up and answer the door; Kyouya never used the key Mukuro had given him, instead preferring to be let in by someone else – it wouldn't go down well with either adults if Fran kept Kyouya waiting, after all.

"Coming..." Fran called out as he got to his feet. He rubbed at his eyes as he moved to the door, his judgement skills still weak due to the concussion – he didn't take in to account that _this _knock was different than Kyouya's.

There had been a reason the doctor had told Mukuro to help Fran out when it came to making decisions and judgements, and this was exactly the kind of thing they were talking about.

Opening the door, Fran started to speak. "Kyouya, I didn't... Sorry, I thought you were someone else."

Teal eyes took in the sight of the indigo-haired man standing before Fran. He wore a baggy black jacket, and his eyes were hidden behind a hood. He was short, but still taller than Fran.

"Sorry, to bother you," the man said in a soft voice. "It's just that my car broke down and none of the neighbours seem to be answering their doors. Would you mind if I used your phone to call for some help?"

There was a nagging feeling in Fran's stomach that told him he should say no, but at the same time his concussed mind was telling him it wouldn't hurt to at least let the other stay by the front door and use his mobile – it wasn't like he was letting the taller male into his house if he did it that way.

"Let me just get my phone." Fran wasn't thinking straight as he knelt down, grabbing his schoolbag. He had placed the device in one of the pockets before he left school, so it was convenient he rarely took the bag to his room.

Completely oblivious to the fact that the man had moved closer to him, Fran was unprepared for when a heavy foot collided with his stomach, sending the boy across the room. He gasped for air as he held his stomach, his eyes wide with shock.

A smirk curled on the stranger's face as he closed the distance between them. He grabbed locks of teal hair, forcing Fran into the air. "There's only so much paying me can fix, you little tramp."

Fran winced at the insult, not understanding why he had been called such a name; he was still a virgin, and the only boyfriend he had ever had was his current one. Why was someone he didn't even _know _doing this to him? "..."

"Must be why Belphegor left me for you – of course he'd love someone who'd willingly spread their legs for him. Such a slut he is."

Fran's blurred mind didn't connect any of those words; he was too busy trying to work out what was happening and how to get away. His phone was still in his bag, and that was on the other end of the entrance hall; no hope of getting it now. He could try and run and find somewhere to hide and hope with all his being that someone would come out and check on him, but how was he supposed to do that when he was caught in a deceivingly strong hold?

Fran whimpered as the cold blade of a knife was pressed against his throat; he didn't want this – he didn't want _any _of this – so why was this happening to him...? Why was he the target for some crazed _stranger_?

"Bedroom," Mammon snarled as he pressed the blade closer to Fran's throat, drawing droplets of blood that slid onto the blade. "Try and run away and I'll cut your dick off and make you eat it."

Fran trembled as he stood on jelly-like legs. He hadn't been this scared even during the previous attack – but to be fair, he hadn't been faced with a knife and someone crazy enough to use it then.

The boy moaned as his head started splitting again, the stress he was under making things worse. He kicked out at his attacker, but that only resulted in him being elbowed across the face. He shuddered as he felt his stitches breaking open and blood pour down his face, much like it had the first night.

"If you won't cooperate, I guess I'll just take you in whatever room I see fit – it would be most embarrassing for you to be found in _Mukuro's _room, now, wouldn't it?"

Fran didn't understand, and he couldn't fight against the man that dragged him across the hall – not when his consciousness kept fading in and out, after all.

Just halfway up the stairs, the boy's mind went blank.

_**~~XX~~**_

When Fran came to, it was to the feeling of something cold and hard being placed around his wrists. He shuddered as he blinked, trying to clear his blurry vision. He didn't understand why he was being handcuffed to the headboard of his bed, and then it all came flooding back to him; he had been stupid enough to let himself be attacked and couldn't even defend himself.

"Stop..." Fran whimpered. His mind was hazy, but he knew what was coming – why else would he be cuffed to his bed? "This isn't... Stop it."

"I'm sure Belphegor's done this enough times to you to make sure you're nice and loose – maybe if you're lucky, you'll be so used to it, you won't tear."

"Why are you doing this?" Fran bit his lip as the knife was raised to his view once more. "Let me go!"

Mammon slid the knife through Fran's red school shirt. He smirked as he pressed the blade against the younger's nipple, eliciting a cry of pain from Fran. "You don't like that?"

Fran's heart thumped painfully against his ribcage. He fought against the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks, not wanting the man to know just how scared he was – he'd rather die than give the other that satisfaction.

"Well, then..." Dragging the knife down a slim stomach, leaving droplets of blood in its wake, Mammon cut open the boy's pants. He tore the frog-patterned boxers open with his hands, revealing the flaccid shaft no one but Bel had touched. Resting the blade against the tip of Fran's shaft, Mammon asked, "Does _this _scare you?"

Fran let out a sob as he flinched, feeling a sharp pain in his lower regions. He didn't dare look down to see what had been done to him, but he _knew _he had been cut.

"Is _Froggy _scared?" Mammon teased. He smirked as Fran froze at the nickname, knowing the younger was probably about to catch on.

"...How do you know that...?" A tear slid down Fran's cheek, fear evident in his teal orbs.

"Belphegor left his phone at my house when we broke up." The indigo-haired male shrugged. "Reading through your texts was quite annoying; I don't like someone having raunchy sex chats with _my _partner."

"I'll tell Bel what you're doing," Fran threatened. He was scared, but he wasn't the type to submit so easily – he couldn't fight physically, but hopefully he'd be able to say something and make the other think twice about this. "I'll go to the police, too – they'll have your fingerprints and everything if you don't stop."

"If I cared about _any _of that, I wouldn't have done this in the first place," Mammon hissed. "Do I _look _like the kind of person to care about such trivial matters? I'm going to shut that annoying mouth up."

Fran's eyes widened as he heard the sound of a zipper being undone, and as hard as he tried to turn his head away from the erect shaft that was drawing ever nearer to his face, he had no choice but to bite at his lip as hard as he could when hands grabbed his cheeks and forced him to stay still.

"I've seen you use your cute little mouth on Belphegor," Mammon rubbed himself against Fran's lips, leaving behind a sticky trail of pre-cum. "You should really learn to close the curtains."

Fran refused to part his lips, but once he was slapped across the face, they opened in a silent cry of pain. He choked as the shaft was forced into his mouth, his eyes squeezing shut as he gagged – this was _nothing _like it was when he did it with Bel; _this _man was salty and bitter, and was intent on hurting him as much as he could.

The boy struggled to breathe as he thrashed in his confines. He choked continuously, but the stranger thrust in and out at a rough pace _far _too fast for Fran to be able to keep up with.

Tears slid down Fran's cheeks as he cried, unable to hold up his mask of indifference this time. Maybe the concussion had helped him lose control of his emotions. Or maybe this act was just too much for his mind to be able to handle – either way, Fran was utterly terrified, and he couldn't hide it.

Mammon let out a soft moan as he released deep in Fran's throat. He smirked as he pulled himself out of the small mouth, finding it intriguing to watch as Fran sputtered and coughed the sticky white liquid back up. It was reminiscent to the first time Bel had given _him _head; Bel had been young and completely inexperienced, and not entirely sure of how sex worked, so he had been completely unprepared for when Mammon came in his mouth.

"Pitiful." Mammon reached down, stroking himself back to a decent hardness; he would have to wait for a few minutes before he was fully aroused again, but in the meantime, he could distract himself with other things.

Fran whimpered as a hand wrapped around his shaft. He sobbed, his tears mingling with semen, as he tried to pull his hips away from the man's touch, only to have the knife nick him fairly close to his member. He stayed still after that, knowing that he had already been cut once down there – he didn't want a more serious injury.

Fran tried to fight back his moans as he was pumped quickly, but as much as he didn't want this, his body enjoyed it. He cried harder as his erection became painfully hard, hating how his body was so sensitive.

"Even aroused, the ugly little toad is still small." Mammon sniggered as he flicked the cut on the tip of Fran's shaft. "I can't believe Belphegor left me for _this_. Unless... He's just using you for a quick fuck – there's no way someone like Belphegor could _ever _love you; he only ever wants sexual gratification. He doesn't love; he lusts, and if he wants something, he'll deceive you until he'll get it – in this case, he's just letting you think he loves you when all he wants is sex. Shame you had to find out this way, but at least you'll be prepared for when he dumps you."

In Fran's current state, he couldn't help but let those words linger in his head, thinking about the possibility that maybe – just maybe – Mammon was right.

However, the boy's thoughts were soon cut short as a loud cry escaped his lips and Fran exploded all over his own body. He wanted to curl into a ball at the mortifying feeling running through him, but he couldn't – not with his hands cuffed to the headboard.

"That was both lousy and disappointing." Mammon shrugged. "I thought you'd have made a better show – instead you came too fast and weren't even attractive in the least. This is how I know Belphegor doesn't care for you – who'd ever want to be with something who can't even receive sexual favours properly?"

Mammon rubbed himself as he felt his arousal heightening. He moved, angling his hips so that with one fell swoop, he would sheathe himself inside the boy.

"Although now that I think about it... Mukuro just keeps you around for a quick fuck, too, doesn't he? I wouldn't be surprised if that's it – I wouldn't want something like _you _in my home unless I could fuck it when I needed to. Such a slut – no wonder your grandmother stopped remembering who you were before she died; I wouldn't want to remember such a whore of a grandchild either."

Fran tensed, the pain of his grandmother's passing shooting through him. Her Alzheimer's had become so severe, she couldn't remember who her grandson was and drove him away. Mukuro, the teenager who lived next door at the time, had been the first person Fran sought comfort from, which led to the man having taken him in.

But having this twisted on him made Fran feel as if he could throw up. He opened his mouth to say something, only to scream loudly in pain as he felt an unimaginable agony shoot through his body as his virginity was taken by force.

Mammon grunted, not waiting at all for Fran to adjust, before he continued to thrust hard into the younger. He could feel the blood that dribbled past his hips and onto the blankets beneath them, and it only made him harder; Bel had truly crossed the line by cheating on him and then _leaving _him, and the _frog _was going to be the one to pay the price by whatever means Mammon felt was necessary.

Fran cried hard as he screamed, just wanting this to stop. He thrashed on the bed, hoping by some miracle he could dislodge either his assaulter or the handcuffs and make an escape, but all it did was cut his wrists open and cause his insides to tear more than they already were.

"Shit..." Mammon growled as he bit down at Fran's chest, his teeth breaking through the skin; Fran was so tight around him, it was pure bliss. "Fuck, you're so tight for a slut..."

Fran whimpered and cried out amidst his screams, but Mammon never relented. The older male could feel himself getting close, so dragging his nails down Fran's skin as hard as he could, he created angry red streaks that bled shining liquid. He bit and nipped everywhere he had access to, covering the pale flesh in blood and bruises, but his favourite tool was the knife he used to carve _cheater _in capital letters on the insides of Fran's thighs, as big as he could manage.

Fran had never been in so much agony before, but what made it all the worse was when he felt the other release inside of him, the hot liquid agitating all the internal damage that had been inflicted upon him.

Fran was foolish enough to believe it was over, only to feel the other plunge straight back inside of him. He sobbed, wanting it to be over with, but he soon found out that Mammon wanted to humiliate him further by coming on his body this time.

The last thing Fran was aware of before he passed out was the blade carving a short sentence into his stomach this time, one that read _Fuck you, Belphegor_.

Mammon just smirked as he observed his handiwork, pleased with his efforts. He slipped the knife into his pocket before he left the room, never bothering to so much as take the handcuffs away. He would love to stay and see Mukuro's reaction when the man would walk in and find this, but he had places to be, after all.

_**~~XX~~**_

_The scene was one he had seen countless times before, one that was engraved in his mind's eye, one he would never forget. The blood that splattered on the walls, and stains in his twin brother's bed, but no bodies to accompany the gory scene. _

_He walked through the mansion, calling for the parents who had abused him. He whimpered for the brother who hated him, needing someone – anyone – to comfort him and tell him it would be okay – that the three men he had watched attack his family with knives had only been playing a prank of sorts and that his family weren't gone. _

_It had been days since he had searched for his family, and he was starting to lose hope of them coming back – he didn't care if they were going to beat him black and blue like they always did; he was scared, terrified of being alone. _

_The house had been empty once the police had come, and the ambulance had taken his family away. He had been left behind, wondering if they even knew of his existence – or if he was just destined to be alone and hated. _

_Hungry, he left the house, wondering if he would by chance find his family outside somewhere. He wandered the streets, shoeless and cold, trying to ignore the pain in his tummy. _

_He stopped at the nearby school, having never attended one before, but knowing that the people who went there had food. He didn't care that the kids there were so much older than he was; he was hungry, and he wanted food. _

_He found them sitting by themselves out in the front yard beneath a shady tree, lunchboxes scattered around them as they ate. They were the only ones in sight, so he approached them. _

_They were loud and intimidating, and he remained silent. He wanted the food, but at the same time, he was afraid of them. He fled back to his house, curling up in the bloody blankets of his brother's bed, wishing his family hadn't abandoned him, left him alone like this. _

_The memories of that night, the visuals of the blood and those looping screams played through his mind, and all he could do was cry into the blood-soaked pillow. _

_He was alone, and he forever would be. _

Bel sat upright as he gasped for air, sweat dripping down his face. He trembled, knowing he shouldn't have taken a nap with how lonely he was feeling, but having felt so exhausted, he couldn't think of anything else to do.

"F-froggy..." Bel's heart thumped painfully against his chest, panic flowing through him. He grabbed his phone from the bedside table and dialled the number he had memorised, waiting for the boy to answer.

However, despite having called six different times, the younger didn't answer the call. Worry festered in his chest, and he promised himself that if he didn't hear back from Fran soon, he would go over and check on him; he knew that with Mukuro at work, Fran could have hurt himself in his weakened state.

Yes; Bel would give it some time in case Fran was just napping or something, before he went over to check on the younger.


	7. Chapter 7

Mukuro sighed as he glanced at his watch; it was late, and as much as he had tried to come home and check on Fran during his shift, his boss hadn't allowed it due to shortage of staff and even asked him to stay back an extra hour. He wasn't happy about it at _all, _but there wasn't much he could do about it except trust that Fran could take care of himself now that he was feeling better.

Hell, Mukuro had even considered asking Kyouya to drive out and see if Fran was alright, but he knew his older lover was busy with his own work and didn't want to compromise anyone else who may have needed his assistance.

But now, stepping in through the front door, nothing seemed out of the ordinary; the door had been locked, Fran's laptop sat on the coffee table, and the schoolbag was sitting in its usual spot.

"Little one?" Mukuro knew it was odd to find Fran somewhere other than downstairs, but the younger was probably taking a nap, or having a shower. Moving towards the staircase, Mukuro climbed it as he called out again. "Fran?"

It was silent as the man stepped onto the second floor. He called for Fran once more, and this time, his ears caught the sound of a soft sob coming from Fran's room.

"M-master..." came the boy's whimper, floating out of the open door that led to Fran's bedroom.

Instantly, Mukuro knew that something was wrong – Fran _never _cried, or sounded as if he were utterly terrified.

"Fran!" The older male hurried into the boy's room, stopping by the door in horror the second he caught sight of the blood-stained body on the bed. "...F-fran..."

Tears slid down Fran's cheeks, his teal eyes wide. "M-master...!"

Without a second thought, the blue-haired man hurried to his charge's side. His heterochromatic eyes scanned the scrawny body, not knowing what to do – never had he expected to be in this situation before.

"Fran..." Mukuro gulped before he took charge, knowing he had to be strong for the distressed boy. He reached out, ghosting his fingertips over one of the handcuffs. "...Fran, I'm going to try and get these off you, okay?"

"D-don't look...!" Fran tried to cross his legs, hiding his groin. He sobbed harder at his futile effort, having never felt so embarrassed before. "Don't look... Please..."

Mukuro's heart broke at the desperate pleas. He nodded, pulling his hands back to his person as he shrugged his coat off. He laid it over the bloody body, hoping it would bring a sense of soothing to his charge. "I'm not going to look, Fran..."

Fran closed his eyes tightly as he felt his guardian tug at the handcuffs. He was scared, and as much as he wanted Mukuro's comfort, he didn't want the man to see him like this – he felt so pathetic and weak, and he _knew _he was helpless and had no choice but to rely on Mukuro.

After a few minutes, Mukuro knew he was going to have to call Kyouya; there was no way he could get those cuffs off the boy without hurting him further. "I'm going to ask Kyouya to help, Fran."

"No!" Fran cried out, sobbing harder than ever. "No! I don't... want anyone to know...!"

"Fran..." Mukuro ran a hand through teal locks, shuddering at the sticky white fluid that stuck stubbornly to the strands. "...Fran, it's okay; Kyouya won't tell anyone – I promise. No one has to know apart from Kyouya. You know you can trust him."

Fran sobbed, just wanting this to be over with. He turned his head away as he choked on his saliva, a bit of blood mixing with it.

"It's going to be okay; I promise." Mukuro wanted to sit on the bed and comfort Fran some more, but he knew that, by doing so, he could contaminate the crime scene. He shouldn't have touched those cuffs or even the boy, but how could he _not _try his best to make Fran the slightest bit more comfortable? "I won't let anyone hurt you, Fran."

Fran whimpered and cried as Mukuro's phone made an appearance. He knew that his guardian wasn't going to relent on calling Kyouya, and all he could do was hope the skylark wouldn't judge him for this – he didn't want to hear anyone tell him it was his fault or that he was dirty and disgusting for not being able to stop it; he just wanted someone who would understand he _hadn't wanted it at all_.

"Kyouya's on his way," Mukuro explained as he ended the call a few minutes later, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "He's going to try and get the cuffs off you before anything else."

Fran sniffed as he shook his head. He whispered, in a quivering voice, "He'll judge me..."

"No, he won't," Mukuro whispered back. "He deals with this kind of thing a lot, Fran; he _knows _it wasn't your fault."

"D-don't... Don't tell anyone..." Fran pleaded, his eyes wild. "P-please...! Don't... tell... anyone...!"

"Fran..." Mukuro bowed his head, not knowing what to do. What was the right thing to do in this situation? Should he promise Fran to keep it between them? But if he did that, he would shatter the younger's trust by taking any further action and getting him to a hospital – Fran had been hurt enough, and he didn't need to feel as if _Mukuro _was going to betray him. "Fran, I..."

_I wish I knew what to do... _Mukuro closed his eyes. He knew he was next to useless in this situation, but what more could he do than wait for Kyouya and try to keep Fran calm? Wasn't the fact that he was trying his best enough...? He _wanted _to help, and keep the boy safe, but... He just didn't know what to do.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Calm down, herbivore." Kyouya couldn't say he wasn't frustrated with the way Fran cowered at his approach, with the tears that slid harder down pale cheeks at the sight of him. He had known Fran for a while now, and never before had he dealt with such a personal case. It bothered him, affected by the pain Fran was suffering. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The raven slipped on a pair of plastic gloves before he pulled a small key from his pocket. He was careful not to touch the boy as he slid the key into one of the cuffs, glad to see it was unlocking them. Fran slid down to the side with the sudden weight, his body trembling.

When the next cuff was undone, Fran collapsed in a heap on the bed, panting heavily. He shied away from Kyouya's touch, instead moving closer to Mukuro. Onyx eyes watched as the teenager crawled into the man's arms, wrapping shaking limbs around Mukuro's neck as a tear-stained face buried itself in the white shirt.

Dropping the handcuffs into a zip bag, Kyouya knew going over those items for finger prints would be a top priority – for now, they had to get Fran to a hospital and have him checked over.

"Take his uniform off," Kyouya instructed. "There could be evidence in the fabric. I need to take the blankets, too."

Mukuro nodded. He reached out for the second set of gloves his lover was handing him, knowing Fran wouldn't trust anyone else to take his clothes off.

"N-no..." Fran shuddered as he felt the coat being pulled from his body, wanting it back to hide his disgusting body from the world. He struggled weakly as he felt his saturated shirt being pulled off, and he couldn't help but scream as his pants and boxers were removed last. "Stop it! Stop it!"

"Fran!" Mukuro didn't blame Fran – he _couldn't! _– but he only had good intentions – he just wanted Fran to be okay. "Fran, it's alright! It's just me!"

Kyouya was silent as he took the clothing handed to him. He went downstairs, returning a few minutes later with an unused garbage bag. He dropped the clothing into said bag before he gestured for Mukuro to pick the boy up. With Fran off the bed, he pulled the blankets into his arms, hoping the blood would be of some help to the case.

"Come on, little one..." Mukuro wrapped his coat back around the boy, cradling him tight against his chest. Though Fran was a very small teenager, the coat wasn't big enough to cover his entire body; his legs were exposed, and the blood and semen that clung to them gave away what had happened to him. "We're going to go to the hospital."

Fran moaned loudly as he shook his head. His eyes were wide with fear. "No...! You said you wouldn't tell anybody!"

"Herbivore..." Kyouya leant down, bringing his face closer to Fran's, "...I know you don't want anyone to know, but we _need _to take you to the hospital – it would be negligence on our parts not to."

Fran struggled weakly, blood following from his body. He was turning pale quickly, and to Mukuro's horror, the boy passed out. "Fran?!"

"Take him to my cruiser," Kyouya ordered. "That could be hypovolemic shock. Keep his head down and his feet up."

Mukuro nodded, hurrying out of the house. Kyouya followed after them, carrying all of the evidence. He tossed it into the backseat before he got into the car, and the first thing he did upon starting the engine was turn the siren and lights on as he made his way to the hospital.

_**~~XX~~**_

After arriving at the emergency room and explaining the situation to the receptionist – and trying not to show that the stares of the people in the waiting room bothered them – a nurse had quickly ushered them into one of the rooms. After a quick examination of Fran, they found that he wasn't in any serious danger; he had just lost copious amounts of blood and the trauma he was experiencing had caused him to black out. It took just a few IVs and a bit of rest and warmth to get him to open his eyes again.

Fran had been very resistant to the rape kit, and it had taken a sedation to get him to calm down. Mukuro and Kyouya stayed with him throughout it and, once it was over, he had passed out again.

"Why can't he stay conscious...?" Mukuro bit his lip as he questioned the nurse, squeezing Fran's hand tightly.

"He suffered a very traumatic thing," the woman explained gently. "Apart from the blood loss and the depth of the wounds, I expect him to be alright physically – his mind is just trying to protect itself."

"What can I do for him?" Heterochromatic eyes had never been so upset before.

"Just keep him calm and reassure him that he's going to be okay. I have a handout for you on what to expect, but keep in mind that everyone's different, and though he's had this initial reaction to the abuse, he may deal with it in a different manner in future. He may even experience things not covered in the handout, so please keep an open mind. He's going to need lots of love and care, and as his primary guardian, he may seek you out more than anyone else."

Mukuro nodded. "Thank you... Is he well enough to come home...?"

"I'd rather he stay for the night so we can keep an eye on his injuries and see how he's travelling along mentally." The woman held an apologetic tone in her voice, knowing this was a hard thing for _anyone _to go through. "If you'd like to stay with him, I'm sure it'd bring some comfort to him."

Mukuro nodded again, glancing at Kyouya. "Will you stay with us?"

"I'll come back once my shift ends," the raven promised. He closed the distance between the two, having been leaning against the wall and observing. He kissed soft lips gently before he turned and left the room, not used to dealing with this kind of thing – and his unsociable attitude made it even harder.

If he didn't love Mukuro as much as he did, he probably wouldn't have even been here in the first place.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Froggy?" Bel rang the doorbell again, knocking on the hardwood door for extra measure. It was night time, and the lights were all on in the house. He could hear Fran's phone ringing by the front door, and Mukuro's car was parked in the driveway – so why was no one answering him?

"Excuse me!"

Bel turned as someone called out to him. He recognised the next-door neighbour approaching him, and he wondered if the small, brunet man could give him some answers.

"Are you looking for Mukuro, by any chance?" the neighbour asked. He frowned when Bel nodded, his voice soft as he spoke again. "There's been a lot of weird things going on lately – someone broke into the house and attacked the teenager a few weeks ago. No one knows what's happened this time, but the same police officer came back with the sirens and lights on. Mukuro was carrying him out of the house in his coat and there was blood all over him. I think he was... Well, no one's certain because we only saw them, but he was unconscious. The cop was carrying a blanket, and there was blood on that, too."

Bel's worry grew further at these words. "Did you see anyone around during those attacks?"

"Not personally, but prior to the first attack, there had been a car continuously parking out the front." The man scratched his arm, feeling sorry for his neighbours; they were so quiet and kept to themselves, but they were polite and respectful to the others in the neighbourhood.

"Do you know what kind?" Behind blond bangs, Bel's eyes widened.

"No; I'm not good with cars. It was purple, though."

"..." Bel tensed as he glanced down at his wristwatch. He nodded after a few seconds, knowing that there was someone he had to pay a visit to. "Thank you. If they come home soon, can you tell them that Bel was looking for them?"

"Sure."

Bel couldn't help but start to shake in anger at the thought of _Mammon _having been the one to cause such pain to his beautiful little Froggy – and if that was the case, Bel was willing to forget _everything _between them and make sure Mammon _never _came near Fran again.


	8. Chapter 8

Bel wasn't surprised Mammon wasn't coming to the door, so grabbing the handle, he twisted it and found that the door swung wide open. Stepping in, the blond bristled as he looked around for his ex.

"Mammy?" Moving further into the house, Bel found the smaller male sitting on the couch, seemingly waiting for him. "Mammy, did you...?"

"Did I _what, _Bel?" Mammon hissed. He threw the large wad of cash he had been counting onto the seat beside him, standing up to close the distance between them. He casually slid his hands into his pocket, rubbing his thumb against the blade caked in dry blood. "Did I split that stupid brat's head open two weeks ago with a brick? Or did I rape him and slice words into his skin and leave him handcuffed naked to the bed for Mukuro to find?"

"Mammy..." Bel growled as his hands clenched into fists. He bit at his lip, drawing blood, so angry he wanted to cut Mammon into pieces. "Mammy, why'd you _do _that to him?!"

"Because the little tramp took you away from me." Mammon was seemingly calm, but Bel knew better; the older male was _seething_. "You're _mine, _Bel – you'll _always _be mine. I won't let some dirty little whore change that. You'll never want to touch him again or even _look _at him once you see my handwriting carved into his slimy skin."

"You sick fuck..."

"What, are you going to go cry to Squalo now?" The indigo-haired man mocked. "You gonna go tell him it's _your _fault this happened because you're a fucking cheater? Let me tell you something, Bel; Squalo, nor Xanxus, _ever _cared about you, and they most certainly don't _love _you. Do you know how many times they told me they wished they left you at that house? They didn't want you; they just took pity on you."

Bel tensed, his voice taking on an edgy tone. "...That's not true... They took me to their apartment because they –"

"-Because what were they supposed to do about a mute little shit who kept coming back to them, covered in blood and wanting food?" Mammon sneered. "Xanxus had made it clear right from the start he didn't want you around, didn't he? Remember all those times he told you to piss off and refused to part with his own food? Why would Squalo – Xanxus' bitch – be any different?"

"...They..."

"Scratch that; _no one _wants you around, so why the _fuck _would that little shit want you?" Mammon shrugged. "He just wants a quick fuck – he wouldn't give a shit about the fact that you don't like being alone or need someone by your side; he already leaves you by yourself to be with that pineapple-haired asshole, doesn't he? He could _never _take care of you like _I _have – who's the one who's stayed with you through the nightmares, and held you until you stopped crying? Oh, and you know what the best part is? He doesn't need you – not when his _guardian _already fucks the hell out of him as it is."

"Stop _lying_!" Bel shouted, feeling his mind starting to warp with all of the accusations thrown at him. "Froggy is a _virgin!_"

"Yes, that's what he _told _you – Mukuro has his virginity."

Bel choked on a sob as he shook his head. He reached up, tugging at his blond strands, an agitated noise escaping his lips. "..."

Pulling the blade from his pocket, Mammon raised it into view. He twisted his arm upwards, exposing his unmarred wrists to the blond. "You have no _fucking _idea what you've done to me, Bel. Didn't I tell you when you were younger that you'd be with no one _but _me? I told you you're _mine_, and now you're going to _pay_."

Bel moaned as a barrage of memories assaulted him at the sight of the knife. His legs went weak as he recalled his brother's screams, the way blood splattered everywhere as he watched from his 'room', a tiny crawl space he was hardly let out of, the way his brother was killed. He could hear his parents in the background, screaming and shouting, but he had been too scared to come out of his prison.

"Is baby Bel remembering?" Mammon's sneer grew as he placed the blade at his wrist. He pressed down, just enough to draw blood, before he raised his arm to show his ex. "I never liked that about you, Bel – I always hate how you randomly space out because you're too weak to get over it. That's okay; if I'm going down, I'll take you out with me – if I can't have you, than _no one _will."

Bel flinched as the knife was swiped at him, moving back just fast enough to avoid a serious wound on his face; his cheek was cut and bleeding, but it wasn't as serious as it would have been if he hadn't moved.

But that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Bel had suffered _years _of abuse at his family's hand. He had witnessed their murders, and for a year he hadn't said a word because of the damage in his fragile mind. He had been through bullying at school, treated differently to everyone else around him by most everyone he seemed to come into contact with, and just when he was finally, _finally _settling down and getting better, Mammon – the one he had loved the most, the one he had been closest to – had hurt both him and his precious Fran in a most unforgiveable manner.

Bel didn't care about their history together or _anything _of the sort; he felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest and that all reason for living had vanished, so if he died here, then so be it, but he wasn't going to go down without a fight – not when he knew that if he didn't stop Mammon, Fran would _never _be safe.

With a snarl, Bel threw himself forward, tackling Mammon to the ground. He punched the older male, and though he could feel his flesh parting with each stroke of the knife, he didn't give up – not when he was trying to protect Fran.

"I'll kill you!" Bel screamed repeatedly. He instinctively tried to wrestle the knife from Mammon's hands, barely aware of the blood staining his clothing and the pain shooting through his body, but despite his small and frail appearance, Mammon was _much _stronger than people realised.

"Fucking try it!" Mammon snarled. He managed to roll them over and pin Bel beneath him, and with one quick thrust of the knife, buried it to the hilt in the blond's stomach.

Obscured eyes widened as Bel gasped in pain. His body went still for a few seconds before he raised a shaking hand to the injury, feeling hot blood seeping onto his fingers. He whimpered as the weapon was yanked from his body, curling into a ball; it hurt too much to move, and he knew he was at Mammon's mercy now.

"I think I'll let you bleed to death so you can experience only a margin of the pain you've put me through, Bel," Mammon said. He was standing by the younger again, the blade dripping blood as he held it against his wrists once again. "No one will come for you – they'll be glad when they hear that you're dead anyway. Ciao."

Bel closed his eyes, not wanting to watch as Mammon dragged the knife down his wrists. He shuddered, tears slipping past his eyelashes as he realised that Mammon was right, and he was going to die here alone – alone, just like he had always been. Alone, the way he had always felt.

The blond had never truly known what it was like to feel loved and accepted – he had always had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that no one wanted him around, much like how his _family _hadn't wanted him. As hard as he had tried, as much as he had smiled so brightly, it had always hurt on the inside.

He had been born alone, and alone he would die.


	9. Chapter 9

**Apologies for the late update, but for the next couple of days and/or weeks, I may be updating slowly or not at all. I was involved in a car accident last week, and though I was lucky enough to have walked away from the smash, both my physical and mental health aren't doing very well from it at the moment, and on top of trying to secure another car as it was our only one and dealing with the insurance claims and health problems, I've been too busy and unmotivated for writing. As you can probably imagine, updating was the least of my concerns. Until I can get all of this dealt with, my updating pattern may be irregular depending on if I have time/motivation to do it. You'll also probably see this same AN on different stories as I'm in the habit of keeping my readers in the light if something's come up and there may be delays.**

Kyouya liked being in charge of his own department as it meant he could easily ask someone – or force, as Mukuro had once playfully pointed out – to cover for him without having to worry about backlash. His personal phone had been beeping continuously for the last hour or two as Mukuro – having no one else he could vent to comfortably – texted him, conveying his stress and worries. Kyouya hadn't minded, but in between doing paperwork and soothing his boyfriend, the skylark hadn't gotten much done and knew he may as well make his way over to the hospital where he could be there in person for the two younger males.

The raven had parked his cruiser neatly in the car park and paid for a ticket, leaving it sitting in view on his dash. His uniform jacket was hanging off his shoulders, blowing in the cold wind. He could hear the wailing of an ambulance getting closer, indicating that an emergency had occurred somewhere in the large town. He didn't think too much on it, knowing that, right now, there were only Mukuro and Fran he needed to worry about.

Stepping into the reception area, Kyouya made his way over to the window, questioning if Fran had changed rooms at all. To his relief, the boy hadn't.

The skylark turned around, intending on making his way to Fran's room, only to stop as the automatic doors opened and a stretcher was rolled into the building, a familiar head of blond catching onyx eyes.

Kyouya stepped forward, grabbing one of the paramedics' shoulders as he stopped them. He grabbed his police ID from his pocket, his soft voice making it clear there was no room to mess around. "What happened?"

"Neighbours heard fighting, and called emergency services," the male paramedic explained. "There was one dead beside him. Looked like suicide."

"Has anyone been notified?" Kyouya knew he shouldn't be delaying medical treatment, but this was urgent – there was no doubt in his mind that this tied in with Fran's own assault.

"No. Officer, we need to get him into treatment."

Kyouya nodded. He stepped back, grabbing his own phone from his pocket. He knew Mukuro would be disappointed, but sending a quick text, he explained that something had come up and he would visit tomorrow instead.

If his hunch was right, Kyouya was just about to solve this case.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Squalo Superbia?" Kyouya regarded the man in front of him with cold eyes. It was late at night, and apparently the silver-haired male in front of him had just been about to go to bed judging by the thick purple pyjamas covering his body.

Confusion was prominent in silver orbs, but the man nodded anyway. "That's me. Why's there a fucking cop at my door at one in the morning?"

"I'm here about Belphegor." Kyouya hadn't exactly liked Bel very much, finding the man too loud and cheerful for his tastes, but he could appreciate the fact that obviously there were _some _people out there who liked Bel – Fran was a prime example. "He's in the hospital."

Squalo's eyes widened at these words. "The fuck? _Why?_"

"I'm hoping you can answer this." Kyouya still stood on the doorstep, not expecting to be let in any time soon. "I was already at the hospital myself when he was being rushed in by paramedics. They said neighbours called emergency services for fighting. When they arrived, there was already one deceased. Looked like suicide, they had said. Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

"Fuck... Stay here." Squalo left the door wide open as he moved back into the house. He disappeared up the stairs, shouting for someone named Xanxus. Just a few minutes later, the long-haired male returned with a shirtless man who looked as if he had been sleeping soundly following him. "Where did they find him?"

"I didn't ask; he needed emergency medical attention. Is there anyone that comes to mind?"

"Well... He just broke up with his boyfriend, but I don't see why Bel would go back there..." A thoughtful expression crossed Squalo's face at these words. "I mean..."

"Boyfriend?" Kyouya was truly confused in this moment, because Fran and Bel _hadn't _broken up – why would this be mentioned at all?

"Yeah. They were together twelve years, and just broke up a few weeks ago." Squalo raised an eyebrow, understanding that something wasn't adding up here. "He got a new boyfriend not long after the breakup, and they're still together."

"Is the new boyfriend's name Fran by any chance?" Kyouya wasn't liking what he was hearing at all; he didn't like cheaters, and that was the assumption he was drawing from this conversation.

"Yeah; really short kid with teal hair." Squalo looked up at Xanxus, chewing at his bottom lip. "You know him?"

"Fran is my boyfriend's charge, and he has been dating Belphegor for several months now," Kyouya clarified. "You weren't aware of this?"

"The fuck? Voi! No, we fucking weren't!" There was anger in Squalo's voice now as realisation dawned upon him; Belphegor had been cheating on Mammon, and the indigo-haired male had obviously snapped upon finding this out. "Does it _look _like we'd fucking encourage _cheating?! _If we fucking knew, we'd have kicked his ass!"

"We did not know this, either..." Kyouya muttered. "Is it likely the person Belphegor was cheating on would harm Fran?"

The man standing behind Squalo – Xanxus, Kyouya knew – snorted at the question. "Mammon would _kill _the trash for something like this."

"Are you aware of whether or not he has assaulted someone recently, or raped and tortured someone?"

"He mentioned something about throwing a brick through a window a while back, but we haven't spoken recently." Squalo shrugged. "What's going on? And what's this got to do with Bel being in hospital?"

"Where does Mammon live?" Kyouya ignored the last two questions, instead knowing he had to confirm his suspicions and check if Mammon had been the one found with Bel or not.

"Down the road; second turn on the left. The large brick house on the corner." Squalo watched as Kyouya left, not knowing what to think. He closed the door, turning to look at Xanxus. "What the fuck is going on?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to snap the prince trash's neck when I get my fucking hands on him." Xanxus growled as he turned around, stomping back up the stairs. "Get your shit, shark trash; we're going to the hospital."

_**~~XX~~**_

Upon arriving at the house cordoned off with police tape, it took just a bit of shuffling through personal items for Kyouya to realise that he was indeed correct in suspecting Mammon – the same car Mukuro's neighbours had described the night of the assault was parked in the garage, and a phone tossed carelessly on the kitchen box with just one message in its outbox held the very same message Fran had received from an unknown number – an unknown number that coincidentally matched this one.

Until Kyouya got a statement from both Fran and Bel regarding the events – starting _right _from the beginning of their very first meeting – and further investigating and examination of evidence was done, he couldn't pin it all on Mammon legally – but he knew it was _this _man who had caused such stress in Mukuro, and for that he would _never _let his accusation go unless proven wrong.

Kyouya spoke to the other investigators for a while, hearing their take on things. He left after a while, intending on leaving the house and going home the night, only to stop as a photo frame resting on some shelves by the front door caught his eye.

It was a photo of a seemingly younger Bel – one who seemed as happy back then as he did now – with his arms wrapped around a shorter, indigo-haired male. The other wasn't smiling, but there was an obvious contentment in their posture that Kyouya _knew _they had been happy together.

So why had Belphegor cheated and _caused _all of this?

Kyouya had never liked cheaters, and he was certain that, after all this, he might never like _Bel, _either – not after all of this trouble.


	10. Chapter 10

The following day after the attacks, Kyouya had kept his mouth shut and mentioned nothing about what had transpired to Mukuro, knowing the younger male would scold and punish Fran even in this state – it was much more sensible waiting until the boy was out of the hospital and more relaxed and aware of his surroundings before he was confronted about _anything_.

The boy had been quiet as Mukuro carried him out of the hospital and to Kyouya's cruiser parked not far away. He hadn't said a word as he was nursed in his guardian's arms during the drive home, teal eyes staring blankly out of the passenger-side window as thoughts ran through his head.

In fact, the only trouble that seemed to arise was driven by Fran's return home. He tensed once Kyouya parked in the driveway beside Mukuro's silver four-wheel drive, and he whimpered as he realised Mukuro was about to take him out of the car.

"What's wrong, little one?" The blue-haired man sighed as he tightened his hold on the boy, wishing he knew how to help.

Fran shook his head, whimpering again as his small fingers curled into Mukuro's white shirt. His body started trembling again, the jacket wrapped around him almost falling down his bandaged body.

"It isn't unusual for rape victims to act this way," Kyouya explained. He got out of the car, moving to his lover's side. He opened the door and silently took Fran from the younger, waiting for Mukuro to stand up before he passed the boy back. "He's just scared, and being back where it happened is stirring memories."

The younger man bit his lip as he looked down at Fran. He nodded, knowing that what Kyouya was talking about made sense. "What should I do with him...?"

"Find where he's most comfortable and let him rest there. I wouldn't advise taking him back to his room, but see how he goes anyway."

Mukuro pushed the front door open as he nodded to Kyouya; they had left in such a hurry, the man hadn't even thought about locking the door. To his relief, everything was still where they had left it.

"I'm going to put the kettle on." Kyouya parted from the younger males as he moved towards the kitchen. "Tea, herbivore?"

"Please." Mukuro closed the door quietly behind them before he moved to the stairwell. He climbed it slowly, knowing that while he was gathering belongings from Fran's bedroom anyway, he could bring the boy with him and see how Fran reacted to his room. Mukuro couldn't fathom what it was like to fear your own home, but he imagined it was something horrible.

Fran's eyes widened as they passed the threshold that divided his room and the hallway, and he couldn't stop the barrage of memories that assaulted him. He let out a soft sob before he screamed, his grip on Mukuro tightening to the point the man could feel fingernails breaking his skin.

"No!" Fran cried out as he thrashed in his guardian's arms, just wanting to get away from this place. "No! No more! Master! Master!"

"Shh..." Mukuro moved quickly as he swiped the iPod sitting on the desk, as well as a few books neatly arranged at the back of it. He next moved to the wardrobe, opening the drawer and pulling out a pair of warm, comfortable pyjamas. He then left, knowing that if Fran wanted anything else, he could always come back up later. "It's okay, Fran. We're going back downstairs now. It's okay."

The boy let go of the white material, raising a shaking hand to instead wipe at his wet face. He cried as he felt himself being carried down the stairs, hating how scared and unsafe he felt just by being in his own home.

Mukuro felt his heart break as he watched the way Fran curled into a ball once he was laid on the couch. The boy didn't even relax as the older male tried to clothe him, pulling away from the touches and flinching whenever fingertips ghosted over his skin.

The man caressed a tear-stained cheek for a few seconds before he straightened his back out again, moving to the kitchen to embrace Kyouya and convey his feelings.

Mukuro knew that if he didn't have Kyouya, there was no way he'd be able to handle something like this – he couldn't do it alone, and he didn't want to.

_**~~XX~~**_

When Bel's eyes opened, his vision was blurry and his body ached. He blinked a few times before he realised he was in an unfamiliar room with curtains drawn around him, the loud beeping of machines surrounding him. He was on an uncomfortable mattress, and what seemed to be drips disappeared in his arm.

"You're awake, brat."

Bel blinked again before he realised he was lying on his side, and the voice had come from behind him. It took him a while to roll onto his back and again onto his other side, soft hisses of pain and moans escaping his lips as he did so.

"Squ-Squ...?" Bel frowned at his two guardians, not sure what was going on. "Squ-Squ, what...?"

With lightning speed, Squalo stood up and raised his hand, bringing it down across Bel's cheek hard enough to force the younger's head to the side. With burning eyes, he snarled, "That's for cheating and _causing _this fucking mess!"

Bel's frown grew as he raised a hand slowly, massaging the spot he had just been slapped in. He remained silent, his mind too hazy to truly process what was happening.

"And this..." Again, Squalo raised his hand, "...is for not coming to us and being a stupid fucking idiot!"

"..." Obscured eyes just watched as Squalo went to slap him for a third time.

"This one..." Squalo was much gentler now, his voice suddenly heavy with stress as he brushed his palm against the blond's swollen cheek, "...is for worrying the shit out of us..."

"You're fucking lucky the bitch talked me out of it or I would have shot your fucking cock off for what you've done," Xanxus snarled. He was seated next to Squalo, glaring intensely at the blond as his arms crossed against his chest. "You don't _deserve _a boyfriend if you're going to cheat on him – Mammon's dead now because of you."

Bel's eyes closed at these words, fighting back tears; while it was true he would _never _forgive Mammon for what he had done to Fran, he _knew _it was his fault this had happened. He had been in a relationship, and yet he had willingly pursued another one without talking to Mammon. He had kept everything from the older male, and even once he had broken the news, he had done nothing to make sure Mammon was okay and coping with it – he had merely been considerate only of his own feelings, believing Mammon would deal with it by himself.

Thinking of it now, if _Bel _had been the one cheated on... He could only imagine how much it would hurt for someone you love so dearly to go behind your back the way _he _had...

And now Mammon was dead – dead because Bel hadn't been mature enough to talk things out before doing anything with Fran – scratch that; he hadn't been mature enough to _not _do anything with Fran.

"I'm sorry..." Bel whispered. His voice was hoarse and soft, testimony to how exhausted he was feeling. "...I'm sorry..."

"Why are you apologising to _us?_" Squalo questioned. "_We're _not the ones who need to hear it."

"I'm sorry..." Bel whispered again. He rubbed his cheek, not knowing what to do – this wasn't something he could fix, and now he'd forever have to live with the guilt of having pushed Mammon over the edge. "...I'm so sorry..."

"Brat..." Squalo sighed as he stood back up. He moved over to the hospital bed, pulling Bel in against him. He caressed silky blond hair as he frowned, knowing this whole situation was fucked up. "Brat, it's going to be okay... But fucking hell, once you're out of this joint, you've got some fucking explaining to do, Belphegor. Get your ass ready because we're going to kick the shit out of it when you're better."

Bel just hummed, knowing he shouldn't have expected any less of his guardians – they had always been quick to resort to physical punishments.

But then, that also raised the question of, _had _Mammon been telling the truth all along...? For years, Bel had talked himself into believing that his family had loved him, but they simply showed it in a different manner they did his brother. They had beaten and starved him, and done things to him he had been too young to understand – it wasn't until Squalo and Xanxus took him home did he slowly learn there was more to love than being punched and kicked all day every day.

But even so... Squalo and Xanxus had raised their hands to him many times, and though they had _never _hurt him like his _family _had, they had still frightened him on occasion.

Was Mammon right...? Or was Bel just looking too deeply into things?

_**~~XX~~**_

"...ster...?"

Mukuro's heterochromatic eyes opened slowly as he felt someone tug on his nightshirt. He blinked before he pushed himself into a sitting position, reaching out to flick on the bedside table lamp. Kyouya was still sleeping peacefully beside him, undisturbed, but Fran was standing by the edge of the mattress, looking scared.

"What's wrong, little one?" Mukuro reached out, grabbing Fran's tiny hand in his own.

"..." Fran looked to the ground, chewing at his lip. It took a few minutes for him to reply, but when he did, it was in a small, shaking voice. "...I'm scared... I don't... I don't want to be on my own..."

"Little one, you're seventeen-years-old." Mukuro caressed the back of the boy's hand with his thumb, trying to get the boy to understand. "You're too old to be climbing into bed with me."

"But..." Fran's lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears.

"What if I need my Kyouya time?" Mukuro tried to explain. "Or Kyouya needs _his? _Or your dreams... get you excited? No. You're too old."

A single tear slid down Fran's cheek, not understanding why he was being turned away at such a frightening time in his life – Mukuro had never had a problem with letting Fran sleep with him before, even if that _had _been several years back.

"Go back to the couch, Fran." Mukuro moved to lie back down in the bed, only to groan as a hard elbow struck him in the ribcage. "Kyouya..."

"You're too loud, herbivore." The skylark sat up next, his dark eyes glinting with the lamplight. "And inconsiderate. Let him sleep with you – what's a bit of morning embarrassment compared to making him worse?"

Mukuro frowned as he nodded. He knew his lover was right, but he didn't like the idea of Fran... well, getting _excited _right next to him – not when he had raised the boy for the past ten years and had his lover sleeping right next to him.

"Climb in, then..." Mukuro was hesitant to lift the blankets, and he couldn't help but scoot closer to Kyouya as a warm body nestled in against him, obviously seeking comfort. "Just... try not to let yourself get excited, please..."

"Doubt he will be..." Kyouya had laid back down already, his back to his boyfriend. He waited patiently for the blankets to be released before he smoothed them over his body again, closing his eyes as he prepared himself for more sleep. "Not so soon, anyway..."

Fran didn't confirm this one way or another; he merely cuddled in close to Mukuro, burying his face in against the man's warm pyjamas. His fingers curled into the material, and once an arm curled around him and held him close, he finally relaxed.

There was just one thing on his mind that Fran couldn't shake; why wasn't Bel here?

"Master...?"

Mukuro frowned as he opened his eyes again, looking down at the boy. He was tired, and Fran wasn't making it any better. "What is it...?"

"...Why isn't Bel-senpai here...?"

"You said you didn't want anyone to know, so I was going to let you tell him yourself..." Mukuro nuzzled his face against teal hair gently. "He doesn't know. Now go to sleep."

Maybe Mukuro was right and Bel _didn't _know, but Mammon's words rang through Fran's head, and the boy couldn't help but question if Bel had really loved him at all, or if the blond had just been using him – after all, if Bel _did _love him, he would be here, right...?

"Master...?"

Mukuro took a few seconds to reply, growing frustrated with Fran. "What...?"

"I want to move..." Fran pulled himself closer at these words. "Can we...?"

"..." With a sigh, Mukuro forced himself to speak in a soft tone. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. Now _sleep_."

"Sorry, Master..." Fran let his eyes slip closed, but he was sure he wouldn't be falling asleep any time soon – not when his mind was nothing but a chaotic mess.


	11. Chapter 11

"Mornin', Kyouya..."

Fran's eyes snapped open and he froze as he felt lips trail down the side of his neck. He knew it was only Mukuro, and that the man had mistaken him for Kyouya, but he felt _very _uncomfortable with this.

"Someone's affectionate this morning... Cuddled up against me..."

The teal-haired male bit his lip as he felt a kiss being placed on the corner of his lips. He tried to ignore the hand that had slid beneath his shirt, tense as warm hands caressed his flesh.

"Is Kyouya in the mood? Hmm?"

"No, I'm not."

Fran felt his guardian freeze at the skylark's voice, and he turned his head to look up at the blue-haired male. Heterochromatic eyes were now staring down at Fran, confusion and horror evident in them.

"..." Mukuro raised a hand to his mouth, having not realised Kyouya was behind him until the older male had spoken. He pulled away from Fran, his cheeks coated with red. "I-I'm sorry, little one..."

Fran just hummed, having grown used to touches such as those during his time with Bel. He went to move off the bed, only to hiss and crumple as his stomach burned angrily. He held his tummy with one arm, trying to ignore the fellow burning in his thighs. He was sure he was bleeding again, but he didn't want to say anything to Mukuro, knowing the man would want to see the injuries and tend to them. He didn't want anyone seeing what he had been through – he didn't want them to _know_. He just... didn't want to be treated differently...

"Are you sore, little one?" As always, Mukuro was on the ball. "Do you want me to get you pain killers?"

"No..." Fran bit his lip as he closed his eyes, his backside starting to ache as well. "...I'm fine..."

"Pineapple herbivore, give me some time with him."

Both Fran and Mukuro turned to look at Kyouya. The oldest male had left the bed, grabbing a small writing pad and a pen from the desk opposite them. He sat in the spinning desk chair, looking as serious as ever.

"I want to get a statement from him."

"Can I stay with him?" Mukuro knew Kyouya only had Fran's best interests in mind, but he didn't want to leave the boy.

"I'll debrief you once I've dealt with the green herbivore. Leave."

The blue-haired man nodded. He caressed Fran's cheek for a few seconds before he stood up, leaving the room. He trusted Kyouya to look after Fran, but still... He just wanted the youngest to feel safe.

"Is this the man who attacked you?" Kyouya waited until the bedroom door was closed before he pulled a photo frame out of his bag, tossed carelessly by the side of the bed. It was the same photo he had been looking at in Mammon's home, and when Fran's eyes widened and a whimper escaped his lips, Kyouya knew it had been him who had assaulted Fran.

"Y-yes..." Fran looked away, reaching up to rub at his wet eyes. "...T-that's him..."

"Care to explain how your relationship with the blond herbivore worked?" Kyouya narrowed his eyes, an annoyed tone in his voice. "Why would you willingly date someone already in a relationship? I didn't think you were like that."

Fran closed his eyes, knowing he was in trouble now – he was just lucky Kyouya hadn't told Mukuro yet, because otherwise the blue-haired male was going to be mad. "...I dated him... because I love him..."

"Again, _already _in a _relationship_. What _haven't _you been telling us, Fran? What else have you kept from us?"

"..." Fran knew there was a lot he hadn't told anyone about his relationship, but did he really have to start _now_...? Couldn't he be left alone to rest for a while longer...? He was _hurting, _damnit!

"Tell me everything, and I'll make sure the pineapple herbivore knows only what he has to," Kyouya promised in a softer tone. "I won't tell him everything, and I'll only use this information for your case. Cooperate, and I'll have this case closed soon."

Fran sighed. He knew he really didn't have a choice, and the sooner he spoke, the sooner he could have this all done and dusted. "...What do you want to know first...?"

"How you met the blond herbivore."

"..." Fran nodded, knowing he hadn't exactly been truthful to Mukuro when he had first told the man he had a boyfriend. Kyouya deserved to know the truth – after all, the man was only trying to help him.

_**~~Six months ago~~**_

Fran often stopped in town on his way home from school. Sometimes he got takeout for lunch, others he walked aimlessly around town before going home to do homework, and then there were the times he stopped by stores and bought new games, books or DVDs.

Currently, the boy had stopped by his usual gaming store, browsing the available games for the newest console Mukuro had bought him for his birthday. Being as short as he was, he found it awfully frustrating when he realised he just wasn't tall enough to reach the game on the top shelf he wanted to look at.

Fran thought about asking one of the workers to get it down for him, but there weren't any on the shop floor that he could see. He knew he could always come back later for it, but he wanted to get it now that he was already here.

"Too short to reach it, shishi~?"

Teal eyes turned at an unfamiliar voice behind him, coming face-to-face with a tousle-haired blond he had never met before. The other was seemingly laughing at him as his hands disappeared into the pockets of his long jacket, covering his striped shirt. "I'm not short; I just don't want to reach up for it."

The other chuckled again before he extended a long arm, grabbing the game with ease. He handed it to the boy, obscured eyes watching as Fran accepted it. "Lazy frog."

Fran sniffed before he ignored the other, his eyes scanning the back of the cover. He was aware that the blond still hadn't left, but he didn't say anything.

"I've played that one before." A Cheshire grin crossed the man's face. "It's good~"

Fran nodded. He slipped the game under his arm as he grabbed his messenger bag from the floor, slipping it back over his shoulder. "Are you trying to flirt with me or something? Most people would have just left after giving me the game."

"I already have a boyfriend, shishi~ The prince is just bored~ His adoptive parents dragged him out into town with them, and now they're getting their hair cut, leaving him alone~ Will the frog entertain the prince~?"

"Fake-prince is looking at the wrong person; people tell me I'm antisocial and boring, and you seem like a pedo." Fran started walking towards the registers, finding that the other was still following him.

"Princes aren't pedos. My name is Bel~ What's Froggy's name?"

"If I tell you, you might try and stalk me." The teal-haired male waited impatiently for someone to come out and serve him, wishing he could get rid of the blond menace already.

"As the prince said before, he already has a boyfriend~" There was a hint of sadness in Bel's voice at these words, and Fran wondered why that was; the blond seemed so cheerful and outgoing, so why would this change at the mention of a partner?

"Then why is fake-prince bothering frogs and not being with his boyfriend?" Fran challenged.

"...Because Mammy is off in another town somewhere, making money..."

Fran knew there was a definite depression in the other now. In his own way, he tried to soothe the blond, but Mukuro had always told him he had a morbid sense of humour. "What, he's off selling drugs or whoring himself out?"

When Bel turned his head away, a frown crossing his face, Fran knew he was probably on the right track.

"Oh..." Fran rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his teal eyes darting to the side. "I didn't..."

"It's okay." A more forced smile was on Bel's face now, nowhere near as natural as his previous ones had been. "Froggy didn't know. But please? Can the prince be entertained a bit more? He still has another hour to fill in~"

"I was going to go home and do homework..." Fran turned his attention to the cashier who had just made it to the registers. He handed the game over before he leant down, pulling money out of his school bag. "Unless you're hungry, fake-prince? Fake-prince's treat, because this is the last of my money until my guardian pays me."

A more genuine smile crossed Bel's face again as he nodded. "Okay~ Where does Froggy want to eat~?"

"Anywhere's fine."

"Sushi? Sushi is the prince's favourite~"

"Sure." Fran grabbed his game and the receipt from the cashier, slipping it into his bag. "I haven't had sushi in a while."

Bel hummed to himself as he led the way out of the store, pleased that he had made a new friend so easily; friends had never been easy for him to make, even in school where he had always been the loner, bullied for being different – it excited him to finally have someone to hang out with he hadn't spent the past eighteen years with already.

_**~~Takesushi~~**_

"What's Froggy's favourite video game?" Bel was a pleasant person, Fran was soon discovering. He was a bit out there, but he seemed harmless, if not just a bit _too _lonely – why else would he be pestering a high schooler to hang out?

"I don't know; I don't get much time to play them because Master is adamant in making me focus on school." Fran raised the chopsticks to his mouth, nibbling at his rice. "Is senpai a gamer?"

Bel nodded. "Mammy says I'm lazy because I'm always in front of the TV or the computer~"

"Are you one of those people who calls themselves a gamer, even though they spend ninety per cent of their time on World of Warcraft or Pokémon?" Fran wondered if the blond would get his sarcasm – not a lot of people did.

"Shishi~ The prince plays lots of different stuff~" Bel seemed much more comfortable here than he did back in the previous store. "Mammy yells because I spend so much money on games."

Fran didn't know Mammon, but he already didn't like the other; while Bel appeared to genuinely love his boyfriend, it was clear that he wasn't happy in what sounded to Fran to be a controlling, one-sided relationship. Bel seemed so sweet, Fran couldn't help but think he deserved someone better.

"I don't like your boyfriend," Fran said bluntly. He ignored the frown Bel made, but he continued on. "He doesn't sound like a very nice person – especially if he's selling drugs or whoring around. You never did confirm which one it was, but if _my_ boyfriend was like that, I'd be ending the relationship."

"...Mammy... just likes money..." Bel was quiet as he tried to explain things. He had had this conversation with his adoptive parents countless times, and they both said that Bel was simply too brainwashed to see the truth. "He doesn't mean to hurt me... He knows I don't like it when people come around and... and pay him to do that stuff with them... in _our _home... But he loves me..."

"I've never been in a relationship before, so I don't really understand it," Fran admitted. "I just don't understand why you'd hurt yourself over a boyfriend like that. As I said before, I wouldn't want to date someone who did those things."

"Froggy's just young." Bel offered a crooked grin as he reached out, patting teal hair. "Once he meets someone he really loves, he'll understand what it's like to put up with those kinds of things."

"Maybe..." Fran pushed the food on his plate around slightly before he took another bite of his rice. "But I think you deserve better."

Bel, who had already mostly devoured his lunch, just smiled at the boy. He checked his wristwatch before he spoke again. "Froggy should hurry up and finish his lunch; Squ-Squ's beauty session will end in fifteen minutes."

Fran nodded, eating a bit faster; he wasn't in the habit of wasting other peoples' money.

It was quiet between them for a few minutes before Bel spoke again, longing evident in his voice. "Froggy...?"

"Hn?"

"If the frog wants to catch up again, I can give you my number if you want it." This sentence lacked the self-proclaiming of being royalty, which told Fran the blond was serious about this. "I had fun today."

"Sure." Fran pulled his phone from his bag, hitting in Bel's number as it was given to him. "I'm not busy on the weekend. Are you free?"

Bel hummed for a few seconds before he nodded. "Yup~ Want to go to a game arcade?"

"Okay." Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Fran finished off the last of his lunch before he stood up, following the man out of the sushi restaurant. "See you in a few days."

"Looking forward to it, Froggy~"

_**~~End flashback~~**_

"Following someone around like that isn't the smartest move you've made..." Kyouya muttered as he made notes on the pad. "Do you know how many cases I deal with that start out just like that, and someone's gotten hurt? Or worse?"

"He was just lonely, and it's not like I got into a car with him." Fran sighed. "He just... was lonely..."

"Lonely or not, he could have hurt you, or even _killed _you, herbivore."

"But he didn't... He wasn't getting the attention he needed from his boyfriend, so _I _gave it to him... How would _you _feel if Master disappeared for weeks on end, had people fuck him in _your _bed, and did drugs while you were around? Every time he'd come back from wherever he was, senpai would get so excited, but he only ever got pushed away."

Kyouya knew he wouldn't handle something like that, but still... What Bel and Fran had done... "I won't tell the herbivore you made some stupid moves, but he _will _know that you were involved in an affair."

"Okay..."

"One more question; how long did it take before you told him your name?"

"I never _did _tell him my name; just after we got together, he looked at my school ID to find out." A faint, barely visible smile crossed Fran's face at his words.

Kyouya nodded, just glad that Fran seemed to be much better today.


	12. Chapter 12

It had taken a while for Kyouya to track down Bel as the blond had left the hospital already and wasn't at his own home. The skylark had eventually found him at his adoptive parents' home, and after being led upstairs and into the man's bedroom, he could see why; the man was very pale and sickly looking, and he seemed to be in as much, if not more, pain as Fran was.

"Kyouya..." Bel recognised the cop as the same one who was always at Fran's house. He was worried why the other was here, wondering if it had anything to do with Fran. "My Froggy... Is he okay...?"

"Not really." Kyouya stood a seat on the beanbag that rested in the corner. He took his notepad out of his pocket, clicking down on the pen he already had in his hand. "I need a statement from you. The green herbivore's told me his story already, so tell me yours."

"What...?" Bel blinked wearily as he fought back nausea. He glanced at the doorway, dismayed to find that Squalo had left them in peace. "...What story...?"

"Why'd you cheat on the deceased herbivore?" Kyouya made a small scribble at the top of the pad, getting the ink flowing. "You are aware that this whole mess was caused by your actions?"

"I know..." the blond whispered, well aware of that fact. "I just... I couldn't handle it anymore..."

"Handle what?" Kyouya had heard that desperation in Bel's voice many, _many _times in others. He had seen the look of despair and loneliness in so many people, he couldn't help but soften his tone. "What was the deceased herbivore doing?"

"..." Bel reached up, rubbing at his eyes. He glanced at his door again, not wanting Squalo or Xanxus to overhear – he didn't want them to know how miserable he had been with Mammon.

_**~~Five months prior~~**_

"Mammy..." Bel sighed as he poked his boyfriend on the arm. He was quiet today, a frown on his face. The older male was sitting on the couch, going through bills with an eagle eye. "Mammy, can I please have my credit card back...?"

"I wouldn't have taken it if you were more responsible, Bel," Mammon muttered, his attention never leaving the sheets in front of him.

"But... I really want to go into town today... I'm bored, and you won't play with me..." Bel lay down on the couch, his frown growing as he rested his head on the smaller male's thigh. "Please...? It's my money..."

"It's _Squalo's _money, Bel – not yours."

"He gives it to me; you know that."

"Window shop."

"I need money for fuel, Mammy." Bel was growing frustrated, just wanting his credit card to be taken out of Mammon's safe and given back to him. "I won't spend much; I promise."

"Wait until my buyer comes, and I'll give you money out of that so I _know _you won't be spending much." Mammon threw the sheet he had been scanning across the room, moving on to the next one. "He'll be here soon."

Bel's nose crinkled at the suggestion. "Mammy, that's partly why I wanted to leave... You know I don't like drugs..."

"Deal with it!" Mammon snapped. "You're not going anywhere until I say!"

Bel nodded, knowing he didn't really have a choice in the matter; he could always ring Squalo and tell him that Mammon wouldn't give him his credit card, but he didn't want to bother the man with something like this – Xanxus and Squalo had enough problems of their own to deal with.

Sliding off the couch, Bel sat on the hardwood floor in front of the entertainment system. He turned on one of his gaming consoles, grabbing the controller before he scooted backwards. He grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table, turning it on and making sure the volume was off; Mammon would only get annoyed by the sounds otherwise.

The blond played in silence, his frown barely moving. He paused the game not long later at Mammon's voice, tilting his head back to see the older male.

"Get off your fat, lazy ass and answer the door."

With a nod, Bel stood. He was reluctant to open the door and let Mammon's buyer in, but he did so anyway, knowing how much the indigo-haired male would complain otherwise.

"Still here, slut?" The dark-haired man sneered at Bel as he pushed past the smaller man, making his way into the living room.

Bel just sighed and closed the door behind them before he, too, moved back to the living room. He sat silently on the couch with his head down as he listened to the two conversing, knowing that if he tried to leave, Mammon would yell again.

"Oi, you do a bit of whoring on the sidelines, don't you?"

Bel flinched as he heard Mammon confirm the question; it always hurt him to know that his lover would sleep with anyone for money, wishing it was just them exclusively – but every time the younger male tried to talk about it with Mammon, he was merely told to shut up and get over it.

"Well, here's a bit of extra cash." The man casually tossed a bundle of notes onto the coffee table, his sneer becoming more sickening to Bel.

Mammon nodded as he pulled a lighter from his pocket, lighting the tip of the blunt he had just rolled. "Let me smoke this first."

Bel coughed as the scent of drugs wafted through his nostrils. It made him feel sick when the smell was doubled, the other having lit his own joint. He leant over the arm of the couch, trying to stop his stomach from churning; he had never been able to stomach such potent things before.

"Looks like someone could use a smoke or two."

Bel flinched again at the man's voice, knowing he was talking about him. He just shook his head, knowing that this customer was worse than the others.

"He doesn't do drugs," Mammon replied calmly. Bel knew him well enough to hear the uncaring tone in his voice. "He doesn't like the smell."

Footsteps started moving towards Bel and, seconds later, a large hand gripped tightly blond locks. The man's head was ripped back, his mouth opening in a silent gasp. His eyes flew open in shock, just in time to witness the end of the blunt being shoved into his mouth.

Bel choked and spluttered as he shoved at the stranger before him, the toxic smoke filling his lungs. He ignored the two laughing at him as he fell from the couch, trying desperately to clear his airway from the unwelcome invasion.

"I told you he doesn't smoke. If you want to try and get him addicted, I expect extra." Mammon dropped the last of his blunt carelessly into the ashtray, getting to his feet. "If you're done there, I'll be in the bedroom. First room on the right."

From the corner of his eye, Bel watched the man excitedly ditch his joint before grabbing the several zip packets awaiting his collection on the coffee table. He followed Mammon down the hallway, and the blond couldn't help but feel relieved that they were leaving him alone for now.

Bel eyed the money sitting on the coffee table. He thought about pocketing some of it, but Mammon would know if there was even a cent missing; he was better off leaving it as it was and waiting for his boyfriend to give him some.

The man didn't care to move from where he had fallen; he just laid there, curling into a ball. He felt as if he were going to throw up, just wishing Mammon had let him leave.

Bel didn't know much time had passed before he heard the bedroom door open again, and though it was Mammon calling for him, he didn't think he wanted to go and see what the other wanted – Mammon was usually fine when it was just them, but if someone else was in the picture, he was easily influenced and bribed by the promise of money.

Getting to his feet, Bel hesitantly made his way into his bedroom. He stood by the door, his arms folded across his chest, as he saw the other two males still seated in the bed, clearly having finished a round or two of sex.

"Come here, Bel." Mammon gestured for the younger to approach, and the closer Bel got, the more he seemed to smirk. "We're not going to hurt you, baby. Come on."

Bel stood by the edge of the bed with his head down, not knowing what to think. He was just about to ask why he was here when he was startled by the stranger reaching out, pulling him onto the bed.

"O-oi!" Bel struggled to get away from the dark-haired male who was now pinning him to the mattress. He growled and thrashed, but Mammon was helping to restrain him – and that shocked Bel more than anything else ever had. "M-mammy...?"

"Stay still, Bel; you're worth big money." Mammon held his boyfriend's arms as he watched his buyer reach down, unclipping Bel's belt and pulling it from the man's slim waist. "Just let it happen. Don't fight it."

Bel kicked viciously out at the other, refusing to let himself be used like this. The fact that Mammon could let this happen terrified him, and it made him feel as if his heart was breaking into a million pieces.

"Stop it!" Bel shouted. "I don't want this!"

"Shut up, Bel," Mammon growled. "He's going to pay me triple for you."

Bel winced as he felt a hard, wet erection press against his entrance, his legs spread wide in a forced manner. Beneath shaggy blond locks, his eyes widened as he realised what was about to happen if he didn't do something now.

Pulling his body upwards, Bel bit as hard as he could at Mammon's fingers, drawing blood. He pushed himself forward the second he felt the man's grip on him slacken, effectively knocking both men away from him.

Mammon went to chase after his boyfriend, but Bel had already left the room, and the sounds of the front door slamming closed indicated that the blond was probably seconds away from getting in his car.

With a sigh, Mammon resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be getting that extra money today.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel had found somewhere quiet to park his car in town as he sat in the driver's seat, not knowing what to do. He loved Mammon, but he was too scared to go back – not when that man was probably still there and encouraging Mammon into worse things.

The man trembled as he hugged himself, surprised that his phone hadn't rang yet with Mammon demanding to know where he was and to come back.

Bel wasn't sure of what time it was, but it must have been late in the afternoon as all of the students seemed to be out already. He vaguely wondered if Fran would come see him if he called, and deciding that anyone's comfort would be better than _this, _he grabbed his phone from his pocket.

Fran was complacent as he agreed to meet Bel in the car park, having gotten to know Bel well enough to trust him in a car.

Within ten minutes, Fran was opening the passenger side door and slipping himself inside the car, a faint look of worry crossing his face. "Senpai looks really upset today. Is senpai okay?"

Bel shook his head. He leant across the car, pulling Fran into a tight hug. He buried his face against the boy's shoulder, not knowing what to do. He was grateful as he felt small arms return the embrace, just wishing he could tell Fran his problems – but a high school student didn't need to worry about an adult's love life.

Fran, however, seemed smart enough to have worked it out already. "What did Mammon do this time?"

"Froggy... doesn't need to know..."

"Maybe not, but you should tell me because you're clearly distressed, senpai."

Bel knew that Fran was right, and he'd rather confide in the boy than his adoptive parents – they didn't need any more stress, and it would only cause further problems with Mammon if they knew.

"...Mammy... tried to sell me today..." Bel whispered.

"Oh..." Fran was repulsed to hear this, but he knew it wasn't Bel's fault. "Leave him, senpai."

"I can't..."

"Why?"

"...I'm scared..." Bel finally admitted. "...I don't... I'm scared of... being alone... I'm scared... he'll do something stupid..."

"Senpai, he _is _doing stupid things! You're not safe there, senpai..." Fran's teal eyes searched for obscured ones. "He... He doesn't love you..."

Bel shook his head. "Mammy was just doing it for money! That's all... Money... He was probably high... He didn't mean it..."

"Don't be stupid, senpai," Fran argued. "He knew _exactly _what he was doing if he was doing it for money! Leave him!"

"I can't...!"

Fran sighed before he pressed closer to Bel, placing his lips against the blond's. He was gentle as he kissed the other, inexperienced and uncertain but, knowing that, in the time he had gotten to know Bel, his feelings towards the other were more than just friendly.

Bel was surprised by the sudden assault, but it had been so long since he had gotten this kind of contact from Mammon, he couldn't help but kiss back. He curled his fingers around skinny arms, pulling the younger against him, and he couldn't help but deepen the kiss, devouring the boy's mouth. He had craved love and affection for so long, he was willing to get it from the first person who would give it to him.

They soon broke apart for air, and the first words uttered between them were by Fran.

"Leave him, senpai... You can be with me. I'll give you all the love and affection you need."

Closing his eyes, Bel was too desperate to say no. But Mammon... "...Be my boyfriend, Froggy... But give me time to break up with Mammy... I'm not ready yet..."

Fran nodded. He pressed his lips against Bel's again, softly, gently. "I love you, senpai..."

Bel had _never _had those words said to him before in his twelve years of being with Mammon; he couldn't stop the tears that slipped down his cheeks, nor the way his body propelled forward with the intent of kissing Fran breathless.

Out of all the love he had for Mammon, Bel knew, deep inside, it was mostly unrequited. But with Fran, it was different, and though he knew he didn't love Fran as much as he did Mammon, he would be _much _happier with the boy, and he wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

"By the way..." Fran whispered as he pulled himself onto the other side of the car, sitting on Bel's lap, "...your fuel tank looks empty. Did Mammon take your credit card again?"

Bel nodded. "It's okay, Froggy... I'll work something out."

Fran shook his head. "Master paid me this morning. You can have some, for fuel and the sushi you bought me back then."

Bel wasn't used to being given money like this – sure, Squalo and Xanxus placed hefty deposits into his bank account as he didn't have a job, but Mammon more often than not took that money for himself so Bel hardly saw any of it. To have someone giving him money like this...

"Thank you, Froggy..." Bel whispered.

"It's okay, senpai."

_**~~XX~~**_

"Mammy...?" Bel poked his head into the bedroom that night, relieved to find Mammon was the sole occupant of the room. He bowed his head in submission as he moved forward, expecting the older male to yell at him. "Mammy, am I...?"

Mammon put down the ledger he had been using. He patted the space beside him, shaking his head. "Lay down, Bel."

Bel reluctantly changed out of his casual clothes, slipping on his favourite striped pyjamas. He was wary as he lay down by the smaller male, flinching as a hand rested on his side. "Mammy...?"

"I'm sorry..." Mammon kissed his lover's neck before he moved to the blond's lips, placing a soft kiss on the corner of them. He slid his hand down Bel's hips, coming to rest against the flaccid shaft hidden behind thick material. "I don't know what came over me today..."

Bel moaned softly as his length was caressed. Silent tears streamed heavily down his cheeks as he allowed Mammon to fondle him, keeping his back to the smaller male. He didn't want sex tonight, but if Mammon was trying to apologise, he would accept it – and even if the indigo-haired male was merely using him, he didn't care; he just wanted to feel alright again.

_**~~End flashback~~**_

Kyouya wasn't so cold, he didn't feel sympathy for the blond male in front of him, but in his eyes, that was still no excuse to have cheated on a partner. What was wrong with talking things out, breaking up, and _then _getting with someone else?

But still... What Mammon had been putting Bel through was horrendous in its own right.

"I'll take your statement down to the station and have it sorted today." Kyouya stretched slightly before he spoke again. "What happened after you broke up with the deceased herbivore?"

Bel was quiet as he explained the rest of the story, going into detail about how he had stayed with Squalo for a while and then got his own place, and continued seeing Fran in this time.

Kyouya didn't reprimand the man; he instead turned the subject to Fran as he got ready to leave. "The green herbivore seems to be doing better today, but he's still recovering. He's asking about you. The deceased herbivore told him you were using him and didn't love him, so correct that before he starts hating you."

Bel frowned as he nodded. "...Alright... Tell him I'll be over to see him in a few days..."

Kyouya nodded, standing up. He left the room without another word, leaving Bel to his own devices. With this case just about closed, all that was left was to make sure the two males were going to be alright.


	13. Chapter 13

**It's been so long since I've really given myself proper breaks, I almost forgot what it's like to just laze about in bed all day napping and reading fanfiction on my laptop. I was reading over this chapter before I posted it when I noticed some ridiculous typos such as 'steering while' (LOL, what?), and I think the chapter is reflective of how peaceful I'm feeling at the moment, as the middle seems quite relaxed – maybe **_**too **_**relaxed. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it, but let me know your thoughts and I'll see if I should re-write the particular scene. **

A few days had passed since Fran had gotten out of the hospital, and he wasn't getting any better; if on occasion he seemed to be doing fine, he would randomly break down into tears and refuse any and all contact. He wouldn't talk about what had happened, instead begging Mukuro and Kyouya to forget that it had ever happened. He still hadn't heard from Bel, and this was only making it easier to believe Mammon's last words to him.

The three had just left the doctor's clinic together, Fran having needed his cuts to be checked for infection; though they hadn't improved nor worsened, they were expected to scar all over his body in ugly words. Fran hadn't wanted to go to the doctor in the first place, so it was understandable when the news made him tear up.

After getting the boy out of the clinic and into Mukuro's car, Fran seemed to calm down now that he was back in familiar surroundings. He was curled up in the backseat, a warm blanket draped over his body while Kyouya sat in the front passenger seat, nitpicking at Mukuro's driving skills.

"You're too close to the other car in front of you, herbivore," Kyouya growled, his dark eyes watching his surroundings carefully. "Back off a bit."

"It's fine, Kyouya." As always, Mukuro was patient with his boyfriend. "There's enough room between us for me to stop if I have to."

"Back off, or I'll bite you to death," the skylark uttered. As expected, Mukuro let off the accelerator slightly, making the older male feel just a tad safer.

In the back seat, Fran stared out of the window with distant eyes, trying to focus on his external environment and not the thoughts that were plaguing his mind. He let his gaze wander, taking in the happy smiles and laughter of the pedestrians walking to and from their destination, wondering what their stories were.

Teal eyes blinked as he heard Mukuro's phone beep, and he moved to see how his guardian handled it now that Kyouya was with them; it was no secret the blue-haired male was one of _those _people who texted while driving.

"Don't touch it!" Kyouya demanded as he slapped his boyfriend's hand away from the phone it was reaching out to. "Most of what I see is _caused _by exactly that! Touch it again and I'll fine you!"

"Kufufu~ Alright, Kyouya; I'll leave it be." Mukuro's playful smirk widened as he moved his hand back to the steering wheel, amused by his lover's law-enforcing nature.

Fran looked down as he pulled his own phone from his pocket, wondering if he should text Bel or not – but surely the other would have said something by now if he cared, right...? Sighing, the boy slipped it back into his pocket, returning his attention to the outside world.

"Do you want some lunch, little one?"

Fran looked into the rear-view mirror, finding heterochromatic eyes looking back at him through it. He nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around him, feeling a bit warmer as he heard Kyouya say something about not watching the road.

"Alright. Let's get some lunch first, Kyouya." Mukuro hit his indicator before he did a head-check, merging into the other lane in order to turn at the next intersection. Kyouya hummed in agreement, focused mostly on what he felt he needed to correct Mukuro on.

By the time they pulled into the car park of the nearest McDonald's, Mukuro had just turned the car off as he grabbed his phone and checked his text. Kyouya elbowed him before snatching the phone, pointing towards the ignition of the car.

"Would you rather a fine or to lose points? I can do both if you wish." Kyouya's eyes narrowed. "It's against the law to use your phone until the keys are out of the ignition. Take them out, herbivore."

"Kufufu~" Mukuro did as instructed, smiling all the while, before he took his phone back. "Thank you, Kyouya; I wasn't aware of that law. Sincerest apologies."

"Just don't do it again or I'll bite you to death."

Mukuro laughed again before he opened the car door and got out, moving to Fran's side. "Of course, Kyouya."

Fran got out of the four-wheel drive carefully, too short to get out as easily as Mukuro and Kyouya could. He scrunched his nose up as the first rain drops started to fall, hoping it wouldn't pour until they were home; he didn't like the idea of getting wet.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Bel's here, little one."

Fran pulled the bud of his earphone out as he heard his nickname. They were nearing their house now, and the heavy rain made it difficult to hear Mukuro over his music. "Pardon?"

"Bel's here." The man pointed at the black car parked against the curb before he hit his indicator and started pulling into the driveway.

Fran wasn't sure what to say, surprised that Bel had seemingly waited for them to come home. He blinked as Kyouya addressed him next, taking the key that was being passed over to him.

"Let him into the house before he gets soaked," the raven said. "The pineapple herbivore's parking in the garage today."

Fran nodded, seeing his guardian reach for the remote in the small crevice next to him, opening the garage door. He got out of the car, pulling his hood up as he gestured for Bel to come to the house.

As expected, the blond got out of the car and quickly made his way over to the house, his own hood drawn. He followed Fran into the house once the door was unlocked, just in time to get out of the thunder that roared overhead.

Once the front door was closed and the two had kicked off their footwear, they stood awkwardly, looking at each other with frowns.

Bel was the first to speak, in a soft, uncertain tone. "...I'm sorry... for not having come sooner..."

"Mammon told me you were just using me..." Fran pulled his hoody off, not enjoying the dampness of it. He wanted to change into warm, dry clothing, but that would have to wait. "...He told me you only wanted sex... Is that... why you never came back...?"

"Froggy, I _did _come back..." Bel followed Fran's example and pulled his striped jumper from his body, tossing it on top of Fran's fallen one. "I... I had a nightmare... I went to check on you, and your neighbour told me what had happened... I went to see Mammy, and..."

Fran seemed emotionless as he watched Bel lift his favourite striped shirt. His eyes widened as he took notice of the bandages wrapped tightly around Bel's stomach and chest, and it was then he realised; Bel had tried to _protect _him.

"...Bel-senpai..." Fran ignored the door that opened further down the entrance hallway, knowing it was just Mukuro and Kyouya emerging from the garage. He stepped closer to his boyfriend, wrapping small arms around the man. "...Bel-senpai... You promised everything would be okay once you got away from him..."

"I know I did, Froggy..." Bel knelt down, burying his face in teal hair. "I'm sorry... I didn't... mean for this to happen..."

"It's okay, senpai... I was the one pushing you to leave him..." Fran frowned.

"Is Froggy still mad at me...? I understand if he is." The blond caressed a soft cheek, tensing as he waited for the younger's answer.

"...Mammon said so much about you, senpai... I don't... know whether to believe him or not..."

"I would _never _use you, Froggy; I _love _you," Bel promised. "You're my _boyfriend_, and I wouldn't have left Mammy for just _anyone_, you know?"

Fran couldn't help but snort. "Yeah... I know that, stupid-senpai."

"Froggy shouldn't believe what Mammy said because it isn't true. He... He said stuff about Squ-Squ and Xanxus to me... He was just trying to mess with your head..." Bel knew that was the case for Fran, but was it the same for him...? Had Mammon been messing with the blond, or had he been telling the truth about his guardians all along? "...But if Froggy believes Mammy, I'll just prove that Mammy was lying."

"How would you prove something like that, senpai?"

"I can wait as long as you need for sex, and I'll still love you and treasure you," Bel promised. "If I was just using you, I wouldn't be sticking around, would I?"

"That's true..." Fran nuzzled closer to Bel, just wanting to feel the warmth he had missed for so long. "Will senpai stay here today?"

Bel nodded. "Of course. I'm not supposed to be moving around too much, anyway, so let's just laze around somewhere for a while."

"Okay."

The two stayed where they were for a while longer before Fran pulled away, heading into the living room. Bel followed behind closely, taking a seat on the edge of the couch. He smiled when Fran rested against him, the boy's head in his lap as small fingers curled tightly into the black pants his lover was wearing.

Bel grabbed the TV remote, turning the set on. He flicked through the channels with one hand as he used the other to stroke teal hair, letting Fran know that he was here with him. He wasn't surprised when emerald eyes started struggling to stay open for a few minutes before they closed for good.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Is he asleep?"

Bel looked up at Mukuro's voice. He found the younger male standing in the doorway, a soft expression on the other's face.

"He passed out in like five minutes." The blond muted the TV as Mukuro stepped into the living room. "Is he doing okay?"

"No... Not really. I want to get him into therapy as soon as I can – I can't just leave him like this."

"Oh, my adoptive parents are best friends with a therapist." Bel ran his hand through Fran's hair again. "He's really good; he was who I went to so that I'd talk to people again."

Mukuro was surprised by these words, having not known that Bel had been in therapy, much less that he had gone through a time in his life where he wouldn't talk. He didn't know what could have caused that, but then again, Fran never said much at all about Bel's past – if the teal-haired male even _knew_ anything to say in the first place.

"What's his name?" the blue-haired man asked.

"Lussuria. I'll get him to fit Froggy in for an appointment when he can – he should do it for free because Froggy's my boyfriend~"

"Money isn't an issue if we have to pay for it, but thank you anyway." Mukuro glanced at the TV before he spoke again, his voice soft. "I haven't said anything to Fran yet, but... He's been asking for us to move. He's scared of being here, and I can't leave him alone – he has to come to work with Kyouya or I. We want to give it some time and hope he settles down, but if he doesn't, we're going to move in with Kyouya. If he needs to be with someone in the meantime, can you care for him?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Bel placed a hand against his mouth as he yawned, turning to look out of the window. The trees blew violently in the wind, the heavy rain as merciless as it had been before. The wind howled angrily, and the thunder and lightning clashed away in the sky. "He can come over as long as he needs."

"Thank you very much, Belphegor. Could I get you anything? A drink, or some snacks?" Though Mukuro had been _greatly _disappointed to hear about Bel and Fran's affair, he couldn't deny that the blond _was _good to Fran, even if he didn't approve of their relationship – he wasn't going to treat Bel any differently after Kyouya told him how far the blond had gone to try and protect Fran.

"Hot chocolate, please." A laid-back smile crossed Bel's face at his request. "Marshmallows if you have some; Squ-Squ always puts marshmallows in my hot chocolates."

"Sure thing." Mukuro went to leave the room, stopping only at the doorway to adjust the thermostat; with the storm raging outside, it was a bit chilly in the house. "I'll be back soon."

Bel hummed as he adjusted his position on the couch; he lay down on his side, curled into a ball, his upper body propped against the cushion as he rested his head on the armrest. He moved Fran to lay in front of him, the boy's head on the cushion as the blond wrapped his arm around him.

The boy didn't stir; not when Bel was given his hot chocolate and a plate of cookies several minutes later, nor when the storm became so violent, it knocked out the power to the entire street once a tree fell on the powerlines. He only woke to Mukuro shaking him gently and explaining that, without electricity, he couldn't cook dinner and that they were instead going to eat out at a restaurant – the four of them, if Belphegor wished to join them.

To Fran's tired excitement, his boyfriend agreed, and though he stayed downstairs while Bel went to his room to fetch some nice clothing, he mostly cooperated, even though he wished to get dressed in privacy, something that had never bothered him before.

Bel didn't mind; he could understand what it was like to be shaken so badly.


	14. Chapter 14

A few days later, Mukuro had finally convinced Fran to stay home with Bel while he and Kyouya worked. Fran wasn't completely comfortable with the idea, hating to stay in his home altogether, but he could see that the usually-patient man was becoming frustrated with him, so he agreed. Bel hadn't been able to come out for another hour as he had a doctor's appointment, so instead Mukuro had asked their neighbour to watch the boy until the blond arrived.

Tsunayoshi Sawada wasn't a bad person, Fran knew – the small brunet man was one of the nicest people the teal-haired male had ever met. The only problem was that he was usually flanked by his two best friends, and though the dark-haired one was just as nice as Tsuna, the silver-haired man was aggressive and often caused mountains out of molehills when it came to Mukuro and Fran.

To the boy's relief, it was just Tsunayoshi today.

"Hi, Fran." The brunet smiled at the younger curled up on the couch, taking a seat on the end of the couch. Mukuro had followed them in, his eyes soft with concern. "Mukuro-san said you needed someone to stay with you until Belphegor arrives."

Fran nodded before he turned his attention back to the DS in his hands. He shuddered as Mukuro came by his side, tensing as the man placed a hand against his cheek.

"I'll be home tonight, little one." Mukuro was quiet as he spoke, worried about leaving Fran so soon after the attacks. "Call me if you need me, alright?"

Fran nodded again, pulling away from his guardian. He blocked the older males' conversation out as he mashed the buttons on his console, not wanting his attention to slip back to the thoughts he was trying so hard to ignore.

"See you soon, little one."

"Bye..."

Fran listened to the footsteps that became fainter with each passing second before he looked up at Tsuna, his emotionless eyes blinking. "Hello, Tuna-Fish."

The man smiled uneasily, having never been fond of the nickname Fran had come up with years ago, but he didn't comment on it. "Are you feeling alright, today?"

Fran nodded his head; truthfully, he was _far _from alright – but it just wasn't in his nature to worry others or let them see how he was really feeling; he was much happier donning an expressionless mask he only let go of for certain people, like Bel.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Fran?" Tsuna was a sweet person, Fran had to give him that. "Do you want any lunch?"

"Just some orange juice will do." Fran sighed as the light on his DS shone red. He closed the lid, placing the object on the coffee table. "Can you get my charger from my room, too?"

"Sure." Tsuna stood up and climbed the stairs, wondering what room was Fran's. He had been here many times before for one reason or another, but he had never had reason to go upstairs.

To the brunet's immense relief, it took just a minute to work out that Fran's room was the first one at the top of the stairs – unless Kyouya and Mukuro liked sharing a single bed while Fran was the one with the double, Tsuna was pretty certain he had the bedrooms worked out.

Fran's room was pretty organised; his clothing was neatly packed away in the closet next to the door, his bed was pressed against the far wall beneath the window, and a desk took the wall to the left, a few books, stationary, and loose leaf paper in stacks. A bookshelf tucked away in the corner between the desk and the bed contained a few other personal items, one of them being the DS charger Fran had asked for.

Tsuna couldn't be sure, but he had a feeling that room hadn't been inhabited for a while now if the small specks of dust he had noticed meant anything.

"Guess Mukuro-san wasn't exaggerating when he told me what had happened..." Tsuna felt sick at the thought of someone hurting Fran in such a way; he had known the boy ever since Fran was little, so it was no surprise it hurt him as much as it did.

Making his way downstairs, Tsuna entered the kitchen. He moved to the cupboards across from him, reaching up to pull down a glass. The kitchen was as tidy as Fran's bedroom, and when the brunet opened the fridge, he was happy to see that it was well-stocked with food and drink.

"They might need some more orange juice, though..." Tsuna shook the carton before he took it over to the counter, pouring what was left of it into the glass. "I'll grab them some more next time I'm in town."

Tsuna tossed the carton into the bin before he carried the glass into the living room. "Here you g – Fran?"

Fran was curled up into a tight ball, the small body trembling as he pulled at his teal locks. He seemed to be gasping, as if he were in pain, and his back kept arching in and out uncontrollably.

"Fran?!" Tsuna placed the glass and charger on the coffee table before he reached down, putting his hands on the younger's shoulder. "Fran, what's wrong?"

"Hurts..." Fran moaned, his eyes cracking open slightly. "It hurts...!"

Tsuna bit his lip. Mukuro had told him about this previously; Fran had developed a somatization disorder, and though some of his pain _was _very real and affecting him greatly, a lot of it was in his mind. It wasn't Fran's fault, or a cry for attention or _anything _like that; it was simply that he had been traumatised, and he kept reliving it.

Tsuna didn't know whether this pain was real or not, but he didn't want to take any chances; he couldn't bear to leave the boy like this.

"Let me get you something, Fran. I'll be right back." Tsuna didn't know where Mukuro kept the painkillers, but he would most certainly tear the house apart to find some. "I won't be – Fran?"

Fran had grabbed the back of Tsuna's blue jacket, looking at the older male with tear-filled eyes. "D-don't... go... Please..."

"Don't you want some painkillers?" Tsuna moved closer to the distressed boy, understanding now why Mukuro seemed so stressed lately. "It'll make you feel better."

Fran shook his head, gasping once again as his eyes widened at what must have been a particularly painful wave. "There's... none left..."

"Then I can get some from my house." Tsuna reached out, grabbing Fran's hand in his. "Is that okay?"

Again, the boy declined. "Don't go... I already... had painkillers..."

Tsuna nodded, knowing there was nothing he could do in this case; there was _no way _he was going to let the younger overdose, no matter _how _much pain he was in.

Instead the young man sat back down on the couch, frowning as he watched the boy writhe in pain. He wasn't surprised when Fran eventually pulled himself onto Tsuna's lap, curled against a strong chest as he whimpered and keened.

"It's okay..." Tsuna promised, wrapping his arms around Fran. He let the smaller male bury his face in against the brunet's chest, rocking him ever so slightly. "It's okay; I'm sure the pain will stop soon. Shh... Should I call Mukuro-san?"

Fran shook his head, his tiny fingers clutching the man's white shirt with a death-grip. "D-don't... Don't tell him... He'll stress..."

"Only because he loves you," Tsuna promised. "He just wants you to be okay, and he'll do whatever he has to make sure you _are _okay. If you keep it all to yourself, you'll only hurt _both _of you. You've got to let it all out and_ acknowledge _it, or it'll just keep hurting you."

"I don't want to talk about it..." Fran whispered, trying to focus on anything but the consuming pain all over his body. "I just want to _forget _it and pretend it never happened..."

"You will _never _forget it, and that'll just make things worse in the future." Tsuna patted teal hair soothingly. "I'm sure that's what you want, but I hate to say that's not the right way to handle it. You can talk to me about it, Fran; I'll listen and won't ever judge you – I promise."

Tsuna wasn't surprised when Fran declined the offer; the boy had always been a private person, and he didn't really open up to anyone but Mukuro. It had always been that way; if Fran had a problem, he'd keep it to himself until he finally couldn't take it anymore and tell Mukuro. It wouldn't matter if the boy broke down around someone _other _than his guardian; he'd tell whoever was with him that he was fine, and the second Mukuro would come back, Fran would tell only him what was wrong.

"You don't have to tell me here and now," the brunet explained. "But if you ever need someone, you know where to find me."

Fran nodded, finally feeling the pain dying down. He didn't know what had happened; one minute he had been just fine, and the next it felt as if his entire body was on fire and being ripped into two. It was a pain similar to what Mammon had inflicted on him, but not quite the same – he didn't know how to explain it, but there was a distinctive difference between the pain Mammon had inflicted on him and the pain he now felt on occasion.

The younger still gasped and keened every now and then, but his body was relaxing into Tsuna's arms, his expression soon falling emotionless once again.

Tsuna reached out to grab the glass of orange juice he had put down earlier, raising it to Fran's lips. "Here's your drink, Fran."

Fran tilted his head back as he drank greedily, his eyes taking on a distant look. The lump in his throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed the juice, desperate to try and stop the irritated feeling in his throat and mouth.

When at last Tsuna pulled the now-empty glass away, Fran had settled back down. A teal head rested against his shoulder comfortably as the smaller male shifted every now and then, steady breaths escaping Fran's lips.

"I got your charger for you," the brunet said. "Do you want me to plug it in?"

Fran nodded, his eyes remaining fixed on the window beside them. He watched the outside world, wondering when Bel was going to arrive. He moved in a cooperating manner as Tsuna shifted, leaning over to grab the charger and then across to plug it in, but once the brunet had returned to his previous position, Fran relaxed against him again.

"Tuna-Fish, do you think Master is getting mad with me...?" Fran spoke so quietly, Tsuna almost didn't hear him.

"Hmm? Why do you ask?" Tsuna patted teal hair again, as gentle as ever.

"...Master yelled at me last night... He tried to make me sleep down here again, and when I came up, he yelled and kicked me out of the room..."

"Has he ever done that before?" Tsuna knew it wasn't in Mukuro's nature to yell; he was calm and quiet, but even so, there was only so much the man would be able to handle regarding Fran's current condition.

"No... Ever since... Ever since _that, _I've been sleeping with Master... He wasn't happy about it, but he never yelled..."

"Maybe he just needed some alone time," Tsuna suggested. "I'm sure he didn't mean it; it must be hard for him, too."

"Kyouya was over; that was the only reason Master stopped yelling..." Fran sighed. "...Am I... a burden to Master...?"

"Of course not, Fran; don't ever think that about yourself! Look, Mukuro-san _loves _you more than anything, Fran; as much as he's trying to look after you, it's not that easy – he has to cope with things now, just like you. I bet he feels as worthless and upset as you do – because he wasn't there to stop it from happening. Maybe he isn't even angry at _you, _and at _himself _instead. Just talk to him, okay? Try and compromise."

Fran nodded, knowing that Tsuna was right; Mukuro surely had his own pain to deal with, and he should be respectful of that. "...Thanks, Tuna-Fish..."

"It's okay, Fran."

"I'm... going to have a nap while I wait for Bel-senpai." Fran pulled himself from the brunet's lap, moving to lie across the couch instead. He pulled the blanket he had discarded previously from the ground, tossing it over his body before he closed his eyes and moved to a more comfortable position; it hurt lying on his scarring side because the slightest move he made agitated those disgusting carvings.

"Sleep well, Fran," Tsuna said softly as he stood up, heading into the kitchen to get himself a drink.

_**~~XX~~**_

By the time Bel arrived at Fran's home not long after his doctor's appointment, Tsuna had just stepped out onto the front doorstep to make a phone call. When the brunet saw him getting out of the car, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and made his way over to Bel instead.

"Is Froggy okay?" the blond questioned, stuffing his hands into his pocket.

"He's sleeping now." Tsuna glanced at his neighbour's house, a bit of concern in his eyes. "He was in a lot of pain earlier, but he said he already had painkillers. I don't know how long ago he had them, but I didn't want to risk it. Mukuro-san said that the pain might be real or just in his head, but to try and look after him all the same."

"The prince can do that for his Froggy," Bel promised. He pulled a small box from one of his pockets, showing it to Tsuna. "I got these for my injury; they're really strong. Do you think I should give Froggy some?"

"As long as you're careful with how much you're giving him, it should be fine." Tsuna smiled before he reached out, patting a skinny arm. "I'm home all day if you need anything, Belphegor."

Bel nodded, slipping his own prescription painkillers back into his pocket. "The prince wants to see Froggy now..."

It didn't take long for Bel to enter the house and walk into the living room, and once he found Fran curled up on the couch, sleeping so peacefully, he didn't have the heart to wake him.

"Froggy..." Bel walked over to the couch and leant down, placing a gentle kiss on the boy's cheek. He moved his lips up to Fran's temple, his thumb caressing soft flesh in a loving manner. "Froggy, the prince is here now..."

Fran didn't stir. Belphegor approached the TV set and turned it on, muting it before he hit the power button on Fran's PS3. He left whatever game was already in it, taking the controller and moving to sit on the other end of the couch.

_Froggy looks so peaceful today..._ Bel let his gaze wander over the frail body next to him as he waited for the game to load. _He's so beautiful... My Froggy... _

Bel let his attention wander as he selected a new profile on the game, leaving Fran's as it was. He still wasn't one-hundred per cent focused as he played the game, instead thinking about Fran.

_I hope he's going to be okay... He needs his rest. He didn't deserve anything Mammy did to him... Don't worry, Froggy; I'll look after you better this time – I won't let anyone hurt you ever again... _

What felt like years had passed, and as engrossed in the game and his thoughts as Bel was, he soon noticed the boy beginning to twitch, a small noise of displeasure escaping Fran's lips.

"Froggy?" Bel paused the game, watching his boyfriend carefully.

Fran just twitched again, his mouth turning into a frown as a look of discomfort crossed his face. His fingers flicked back and forth rapidly as the boy's head started jerking, his shoulders tensing uncontrollably.

"Froggy, it's okay." Bel knew bad dreams when he saw them – and whatever Fran was dreaming about was _very _bad.

Fran uttered more noises, soft pleas following them. A single tear dripped down his cheek, falling from a tightly-closed eye.

Bel moved off the couch as he leant by the younger's side again. He caressed teal hair as he brought his face closer to Fran's, whispering gentle words and reassurances. He placed his lips against the boy's cheek again, running a single digit over pale lips.

Teal eyes cracked open as Bel next kissed the younger's lips, Fran's sleep having been disturbed. He wasn't entirely coherent, his mind hazy from sleep, but he knew enough to know that Bel was finally here and trying to soothe him.

Bel let his tongue slip through now-parted lips, his obscured eyes fixing on cracked emeralds. He felt Fran's tongue briefly press against his before the younger's eyelids closed again and Fran relaxed, having gone back to sleep.

The blond wasn't in the habit of taking advantage of his boyfriend, so he pulled his mouth from the smaller male's, placing one last kiss on the corner of Fran's eye before moving back to where he had been sitting peacefully. Fran wasn't having bad dreams anymore, and that was all that mattered.

_**~~XX~~**_

"How long has he slept for?" Mukuro was shrugging his coat off as he kicked the front door closed behind him.

Bel put down the bowl of sushi he had gotten delivered, looking over the back of the couch to answer Mukuro. "He's slept all day. He's hardly woken."

"He didn't sleep last night, as far as I'm aware." Mukuro hung his coat up as he approached the two, patting teal hair gently. "...He wouldn't listen when I told him Kyouya and I needed our alone time, and insisted on staying with us. ...I yelled at him because the stress was getting to me... When he went back downstairs, I _needed _Kyouya... Fran wasn't giving us any time to ourselves..."

Bel understood what Mukuro was hinting at, and he got it completely; Xanxus and Squalo had yelled at him countless times for interrupting them when they were having sex, no matter how distressed the blond had been at the time. It was just one of those things where you didn't care who was busy doing what; you just needed someone, and it couldn't wait.

"I'm sure Froggy didn't mean to be an annoyance." Bel picked up his sushi again, taking a bite as he thought about what else he could say. "He just wanted you. That's all."

"I know..." Mukuro sighed. "Looks like he won't be sleeping tonight, either... If he wakes up soon, that is..."

"I can take him home with me," Bel suggested. "We're used to sharing beds together."

"That's kind of you, Belphegor, but he's getting _too _dependent on us," Mukuro pointed out. "Maybe it's too soon, but I think he needs to be weaned back into independence before it's too late."

Bel hummed, knowing the other was right; if Fran kept learning that reliance on them was the only way to cope, it would lead to disastrous results in the future.

"Well, he _is _yours..." Bel stood up, grabbing his jacket from the floor. "I'm going to see my adoptive parents. Tell him I'll come back around tomorrow."

"Thank you for your time, Belphegor; it's much appreciated." Mukuro leant down, shaking Fran into waking consciousness. "Little one... Time to wake up."

Bel frowned as his boyfriend just moaned in defiance; he knew what it was like to be so tired, you just couldn't get up – what it was like to just want to sleep and never wake again. It was going to be a hard road ahead, but he was confident that they could manage – they had lasted this long, after all.


	15. Chapter 15

**All of a sudden, my chapters have become twice as long as usual. Even I don't know how this happened.**

When Bel arrived at Fran's home the next morning, he was let in by Mukuro. The man seemed tired, as if he had been up all night, but he still managed to smile as he led Bel into the dining room. Fran was seated at the table, a soft cushion beneath him. He looked just as tired, and he didn't seem very hungry; he was just pushing his cereal around in his bowl, and Bel was pretty sure he had barely touched it.

"Hey, Froggy." Bel sat down on the chair next to his boyfriend, leaning over to kiss the boy's cheek. "The prince has somethin' for ya."

Fran blinked as he dropped his spoon into the bowl, waiting patiently for Bel to continue on. He watched as strong hands reached into the man's pockets, resurfacing with something small and silver. The blond held it out, a soft smile on his face.

"I made these when I was little," Bel explained. In his hand was a small knife, shaped in a very unique manner. It looked as if it had been designed to allow for maximum pain and bloodshed, and Fran wondered why Bel was giving one to him. "Squ-Squ said it would help me feel safe if I knew I could protect myself, so he helped me make some. He let me carry them around with me everywhere as long as I promised not to use them on anyone unless they were going to hurt me. They're pretty special, but you can have one so you know I'll look after you."

Fran nodded as he accepted the knife. He twirled it in his fingers, looking at every little detail curiously. "Thank you, senpai. I'll look after it."

"I got this for you, too." Bel pulled what looked to be a tiara of sorts from his larger pocket next, holding it out for Fran to see. Once he was sure teal eyes had taken in the sight well enough, he gently slipped it in to rest on a teal head. "This was a present from Xanxus and Squ-Squ, so it's special to me, too; Froggy can have it, too, so he knows how special he is."

Mukuro could see how appreciative Fran was of his gifts, but he couldn't say he liked it; he wasn't fond of the idea of someone giving _his _little one a knife, but he knew Bel only had the best of intentions. It was just lucky Kyouya wasn't here or the skylark would flip at the knowledge. Mukuro was definitely going to have to get Fran to hide his present well.

"Little one, I have to leave for work soon." Mukuro looked up from his wristwatch, his voice soft. "Will you be okay here for a while with Belphegor?"

Fran nodded, turning his attention back to his cereal. He hesitated before he lifted the spoon to his lips, taking a small bite.

"Can I take him to meet Lussuria today?" Bel was smart enough to ask Mukuro for permission, not wanting to worry the younger male if he were to come home from work early and find them both missing. "He's going into town with my adoptive parents, so Froggy can get some lunch and distract himself."

Mukuro agreed. He wasn't sure if Fran would go into town or not, but it was better to at least _try _and get him out of the house instead of letting him sleep on the couch all day. "Let me get you some money for him."

Mukuro made to leave the dining room, only to stop as Bel declined the offer. "It's okay; Squ-Squ will pay~"

"Are you sure?" Mukuro didn't like the idea of having others pay for _his _little one; it was rude and imposing on _both _of their behalves. "I'd rather cover his expenses – he's my responsibility."

The blond waved a dismissive hand. "The pineapple-peasant doesn't know Squ-Squ~ Even if you give him money, Squ-Squ will still pay for him~"

Mukuro's eye twitched at his 'nickname', but he didn't comment on it; Bel was only trying to do the right thing. "I appreciate that, Belphegor..."

"Froggy should finish his breakfast~" Bel patted teal hair gently as he nuzzled his nose against a warm cheek. "Having a full stomach makes it easier to cope~"

Fran nodded. He shifted on his cushion so that he was closer to his boyfriend, his teal eyes moving to watch as Mukuro sat back down on the other end of the table, drinking his cup of tea as he flipped through the rest of his magazine.

It was quiet between the three for a while, Fran sharing his breakfast with the blond while Mukuro stood up to rinse his cup. He stifled a yawn before he approached his charge, leaning down to wrap his arm around Fran's shoulders gently.

"I'm going now, little one." Mukuro straightened up, pulling his arm back to his person. "Have fun with Belphegor."

"I will..." Fran reached out, placing his hand in Mukuro's larger one. He tried to smile as the man squeezed it, but all it did was cause a frown instead. "...Bye..."

Bel watched as Mukuro left the dining room, throwing his own arm around Fran instead. He pulled the boy against his side, resting his cheek on top of the teal hair. "Is there chocolate milk, Froggy?"

"Yeah."

"Alright~ Are you finished with breakfast?" Obscured eyes observed the half-eaten bowl of cereal, finding it to be such a waste to just throw the rest out.

"Yeah." Fran looked away, looking out of the glass doors opposite them that led out onto the side porch. "You can have the rest if you want it."

While Fran had never been a big eater, he still wasn't in the habit of not finishing his food. Bel let it go, knowing it was to be expected. He instead grabbed the bowl, quickly finishing off what his boyfriend didn't want.

Fran watched as Bel rose to dump the dishes in the sink before the blond approached the fridge, seeking chocolate milk. He poured a glass and took a sip before he took it over to Fran, letting the younger have some.

"Let's go lay down for a while, Froggy." Bel took his boyfriend's hand in his, leading him into the living room. He was the first to lie down on the couch, his back propped up by the arm of the couch. Fran crawled on top of him, resting his head on the sturdy chest. Though he knew the boy didn't mean to agitate his injury, Bel couldn't help but hiss in pain as the younger accidentally elbowed him in the stomach in his quest to get comfortable. "Shit, Froggy... Be careful..."

"Sorry..." Fran pulled his knees up to his stomach, rolling onto his side. His head was beneath Bel's chin, his small fingers gripping tight the black jacket the stronger male wore. "Is this okay...?"

"Yeah. It's alright, Froggy; you didn't mean it." Bel wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him close. He pressed their lips together in a slow, yet passionate kiss, running the palm of his hand over the smaller male's cheek. When they broke apart, he rested their foreheads together before he whispered, "I love you, Froggy..."

"I love you, too, senpai." Fran curled up comfortably on his boyfriend's body, letting his eyes slip closed. "I'm gonna have another nap before we leave..."

"Sorry, Froggy, but you should stay awake." Bel grabbed the boy's skinny forearm and squeezed it. "I know you want to sleep, but if you keep doing it, it'll be a really bad habit and you won't break it easily."

"It'll be fine, senpai... Just a short nap... I need it..."

"Froggy..." Bel sighed. "Froggy, when I was little, I slept all the time, too. Squ-Squ thought it would be okay, but it only made me more depressed, and I wouldn't get out of bed. I always got bed sores and lost a lot of muscle, and even went through a period of insomnia. It only stopped because Squ-Squ realised it was my sleeping habits and got me to a doctor. I don't want that to happen to you. Please?"

"..." Fran knew it took a lot for Bel to talk about these kinds of things, and that the older male was just worried – but Bel should _know _it wasn't as easy as not going to sleep; he was just so _tired_...! "Senpai... I'm..."

"Can the prince tell Froggy a story?" Bel frowned as he caressed teal hair in a tender manner. "It's a bit sad, but I think Froggy should know it – it's about time he's trusted with it..."

Fran nodded. He pulled himself up slightly, kissing his boyfriend once more. "I'm listening, senpai."

"..." Bel didn't like talking about his childhood, but he was hoping that if Fran knew and understood that he, too, knew what it was like to be hurt, Fran would heal faster and let him in easier. "...When I was little... I didn't think of myself as a prince at all... My parents beat me and starved me, and I was so neglected I'd be lucky to be able to come out of the crawl space for a few minutes. I didn't get showers or anything of the sort, but my twin brother... _He _was the one our parents loved... I was too young to really understand this, but I thought maybe it was just their way of loving me or something... I was too young to know any better..."

"..." Fran felt horrible hearing this; he had somewhat expected to find out that Bel hadn't had a very happy childhood, but not to that extent.

"When I was eight, I watched my family be murdered..." Bel fell silent for a few seconds, as if he was reliving the memory. "...I had snuck out, hoping for some food... Jill had been sleeping, so he wasn't there to stop me... Then I heard my parents scream and shout, and saw all the blood... I ran back to my crawl space, and... Well, if anyone had seen me, they probably thought I was him... They tore him into pieces, right before my eyes..."

Fran didn't push Bel when the other stopped talking, instead letting him take a moment to steady his breathing and reach up to rub at his eyes. "It's okay, senpai."

"...After that, I was left all alone..." Bel sighed, swiping at a stray tear that slid down his cheek. "I don't think anyone even knew I _existed; _they just took my family away and left me to wander... I spent so long believing they'd come back – and I was so scared, I_ wanted _them to, even if it meant more abuse. ...But I got so hungry and scared, I started leaving the house, looking for them... I never found them again, but I did meet Squ-Squ and Xanxus. Squ-Squ was going to feed me, but I ran back home; they were loud and intimidating at the time, but I quickly learnt they were the only ones willing to give me food if I approached them – everyone else just chased me off and treated me like shit."

"Did you tell them what happened?"

"No... I took me a few years before I even told them my name... Squ-Squ just followed me back one day, and when he realised... He took me back to their apartment and kept me until Xanxus' foster dad pulled some strings and got them recognised as official adoptive parents, even though they weren't eighteen at the time – once people realised I was an orphan, people tried to take me from them. Shishi... Apparently money goes a long way... In the meantime, they just stuck to calling me things like brat and shithead, but they seemed to accept me more than anyone else ever had; they fed me and bathed me and let me play with them. They introduced me to Luss and Mammy once I started getting comfortable with them. Luss was in training to be a therapist, and spent a lot of time putting his new skills to practise with me. Mammy seemed only to like money, but once he noticed I took a liking to him, he pushed our relationship along."

"What was he like to you? Back then, I mean..." Fran looked away, engrossed by Bel's past; he knew that, as a couple, it was important for them to both be open with each other like this – but would _he _be able to tell Bel about what Mammon had done to him so easily...?

"Squ-Squ didn't like it." Bel shrugged. "He said I was too young, but I think he believed one of us would get bored with the other, so he let it happen. Squ-Squ had never really liked it, to be honest... Mammy was a bit pushy when it came to sex, but he was nice to me right up until I started hitting adulthood. He used to treat me really well, but once I grew up, he... He changed... And I still don't understand why... But I never told anyone about it, hoping things would go back to normal... And they only got worse... But the thing is... I was so used to abuse and being hated, I was willing to put up with it just so I didn't have to be alone... So I didn't... have to remember... Bad attention was better than _no _attention... Yelling and screaming better than deafening silence... And having a warm, breathing body next to you sure did beat sleeping in blood-stained beds just for the slightest comfort."

Fran reached out, caressing a damp cheek in a soothing manner. "It's okay, senpai. I'm still here."

"I was so scared of losing Mammy – some of the only comfort I'd ever had in my life – that I just couldn't find the strength to break up with him... I was scared that if I didn't have him, I'd lose what was left of my sanity... I was so scared of being alone, it took me _years _to finally get away from him... I just didn't... want to feel like I was little again..."

"I'm sorry, senpai..."

"You can probably imagine I went through a really tough time." Bel sighed. "Luss diagnosed me with Depression very early on, and it only escalated as I got older. Luss said I still have it, but I'm doing well fighting it. That's why I can understand how you must feel, Froggy; maybe I never went through it like _you _did, but I didn't have it easy, either. I still don't; you know I get lonely and agitated easily – but the important thing is I can acknowledge how I feel and try my best to keep going. I know what it's like to just not want to live, but no matter what, I kept trying, Froggy. Just don't sleep your pain away, Froggy; don't keep it all to yourself. We're here to help you through it. Everyone just wants you to be okay; we're just trying to do what's right for you – I'd never forgive myself if I let you go the way I left _myself _go – I'm sure Mukuro wouldn't, either. So please? Don't sleep it away, Fran... Please..."

"..." Fran sighed as he nodded, knowing that Bel had just made himself vulnerable in order to try and help him – he couldn't be selfish and say no; not after his boyfriend just opened up like that. "...I'm sorry, senpai... I'm just tired, but... I'm just tired..."

"And you _will _be tired, Froggy; it's just a matter of keeping yourself motivated and living your life. Don't let it get on top of you."

Fran nodded. He pushed himself up so that he was straddling his boyfriend, careful not to hurt the older male. "May I have a shower, senpai? And then we can go into town early?"

Bel nodded. He reached out, taking the boy's chin in his fingers before he pulled the smaller male back down, kissing him in a loving manner. "What does Froggy want to do in town?"

"Anything that will make senpai not worry as much." Fran knew Bel would understand the hidden request; _Anything you think will make me feel better, senpai. _

"The prince wants to go to the Arcade again, shishi~" the blond wrapped an arm around Fran's waist, smiling placidly. "Can we?"

"Okay, senpai. First, I have a question; what made you think of yourself as a prince?" Fran was genuinely intrigued to hear the answer; it had always been something that confused him, but he had never asked about it, instead going along with the unusual thought pattern.

"Shishi~ Well, back when I just started to talk again, Squ-Squ said I was lazy and only with them for the free food; he likened the situation to a spoilt prince, and I liked the idea so much, it just kind of stuck. I wanted to be a prince and be someone, so Squ-Squ and Xanxus let it be."

"But just so you know, senpai; you really _aren't _royalty – you're a fake prince." There was a bit of life in Fran's eyes now, and they were the first thing Bel acknowledged – it still didn't stop him from getting annoyed, though.

"Oi! The prince is _not _fake!" Bel argued. "Froggy peasants should be honoured to be in my presence like this!"

Fran just laughed softly before he nodded. "Okay, senpai. I'm going to have my shower now. I'll be out soon. Can you get me some clothes from my room?"

Bel's tantrum was over as soon as it begun, the man smiling once again. "Sure, Froggy~"

Fran kissed his boyfriend before he left, sometimes wondering if Bel had been diagnosed wrongly and instead had Bi-Polar; the blond's moods could change so suddenly, it seemed that way at times. But whether Bel was depressed, bi-polar, or completely sane, it made no difference to Fran – he loved him all the same anyway.


	16. Chapter 16

"How are you doing, Froggy?" Bel glanced over at his boyfriend once he had parked his vehicle in the multi-storey car park, turning it off. "Do you want some painkillers before we go?"

Fran shook his head, undoing his seatbelt. They had already left the Game Arcade, and were just getting ready to meet the others in at the food court. "I'm okay, senpai."

"Let me know if you need them; they're in my pocket." Bel leant across the car, kissing the younger's forehead.

Fran nodded, opening his door. He got out, standing on shaking legs, and hurried over to the driver's side. He wrapped himself around Bel, burying his face in the man's side.

"C;mon, Froggy." The blond wrapped a protective arm around his boyfriend, leading him towards the entrance to the shopping centre. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really." Fran was truthful; ever since the assault, he really hadn't been very hungry at all.

"Well, you have to eat something, so what do you want?"

Fran shook his head; the thought of eating anything made him nauseas. "Please, senpai..."

Bel sighed, but he didn't push; it wouldn't do any good. "Okay, Froggy. Let me know if you're hungry later."

"Alright."

The two walked into the shopping centre together, the boy's fingers gripping Bel's striped hoody tightly. He didn't feel comfortable with so many people around him, but if Bel could do it, he could, too.

Squalo and Xanxus were easy to find by the time the younger two arrived at the food court; while Xanxus had his chair tilted back and his feet kicked up on the table lazily, looking as bored as ever while his black jacket hung off his shoulders in a manner similar to how Kyouya wore his, Squalo was shouting something at their companion, a man with a part of green hair and a red Mohawk in the middle of his head.

"Shishi~" Bel tugged Fran forward, an amused smile slipping onto his face. "Squ-Squ is on his period again~"

Fran followed his boyfriend over to the table, complying as he was pulled onto a firm lap. He moved, resting his back against Bel's front as strong arms wrapped around his waist.

"The prince has arrived~ Shishi~"

Squalo rolled his eyes. "About time, brat; we were going to order without you."

"Aww, this is little Franny~?" The man Squalo had been yelling at before was now looking at Fran, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. He was smiling brightly, and there was enough warmth in it to make Fran feel safe. "Hello, Fran, dear; I'm Lussuria. Bel-chan has told me a lot about you."

Fran frowned as he glanced away. "...Hello..."

"Bel-chan told me your guardian wants to put you into therapy." Lussuria was well-trained, and he didn't miss the flinch Fran made. "Do _you _want to have therapy, Fran-kun?"

Fran started shaking his head before Bel's words rang through his mind. He frowned as he turned to look up at the blond, finding the other smiling softly down at him. He was still for a few seconds before he turned back to Lussuria, nodding; anything to make Mukuro and Bel feel better.

"That's my Froggy~" Bel kissed the top of his boyfriend's head, just glad that the younger was starting to cooperate. "Let's go get some food now; I'm hungry~"

"Senpai, you're always hungry." Fran didn't complain as he was pushed to his feet. "I'm surprised you're not a gelatinous blob yet."

"Who're you calling fat, you frog?" Bel pouted as he, too, stood up. "You used to eat _more _than me."

"Senpai, I was merely pointing out that your appetite far exceeds anyone's expectations."

"You didn't have to phrase it like that." Bel stuck his nose up in the air as he started walking, instinctively reaching out to grab Fran's hand. "Stupid frog, you know the prince is sensitive about his weight."

"I know, senpai." Fran rested against the other's side as they walked, feeling the warmth bounce off the older male. He was aware of the rest of the adults following behind them, but he didn't focus on them. "You know I didn't mean it."

"You're lucky I _do _know that, Frog." Bel scrunched his face up before he shook his head. "Froggy should work on his manners sometimes."

"Alright, Bel-senpai; I'll add that to the list of things people have told me I need to change."

Bel frowned at Fran's words before he squeezed the small hand in his. He looked down at the teal-haired male, obscured eyes full of understanding. "Froggy shouldn't change himself because others tell him to... The prince loves his Froggy just the way he is – even if Froggy can be hurtful at times."

"I know, Bel-senpai. I love you as you are, too."

The two stopped walking so that Bel could pull the younger into a tight hug. He ignored the looks that were sent his way, having long-since grown used to being judged for his sexuality. Peoples' opinions didn't matter much to him anymore – not if they were based on something he had no control over, such as his sexuality.

"Senpai, people are staring..." Fran whispered, trying to push Bel away. "It's making me uncomfortable..."

"They're just jealous~" Bel kissed the boy's cheek before he straightened back up, patting a teal head in an affectionate manner. "They don't have a cute frog to hug and kiss, nor a sexy prince to be hugged and kissed by~"

Fran blushed ever so slightly, a shy smile crossing his lips. He nodded, knowing he should be more like Bel and not care so much. "Stupid-senpai..."

"Come, Froggy; Squ-Squ's already by the counter."

It didn't take long to catch up with the rest of their group. Bel and Fran stood by the food display counter, looking in at the hot meals they had available. It made the boy feel nauseas, but Bel licked his lips like a cat eying off its next meal.

"Squ-Squ~" Bel reached out, tugging at his adoptive parent's jacket. "The prince wants a big bowl of hot chips and gravy~"

"I know that, shithead – that's all you ever get when we come here." Squalo turned to Lussuria instead, his dark eyes full of annoyance. "What do _you _want, Lussuria?"

"Mm. Just a hamburger, dear." Lussuria looked as placid as ever, his smile brighter than most Fran had ever seen.

Squalo turned to Fran next, his gaze softening. "Are you getting anything, brat?"

Before Fran could speak on his own behalf, Bel wrapped an arm around his front and held him close, taking the attention. "Froggy's gonna share with the prince, Squ-Squ~"

Fran was relieved Squalo accepted that as an answer and instead turned to Xanxus; he didn't want to explain himself if one of them questioned his declination.

"Xanxus?"

"Steak."

"Fucking ass, we go through this every time!" Squalo growled. "There _is _no steak here!"

"There's steak if I want it, bitch!" Xanxus shot back.

"Not here there's not!" Squalo couldn't contain himself; people turned at his shout. "Fucking asshole!"

Xanxus narrowed his eyes as he reached out, pulling long, silver hair hard enough to almost knock Squalo from his feet. "If I say I want steak, there's going to be fucking steak, you slut – you know this."

"Like I can pull it from my fucking ass, you inconsiderate prick!"

Lussuria was quick to get in between them, pushing them away from the other. He smiled as he quickly diffused the situation, knowing this could turn violent any second – while the younger adults made every effort to keep their violent natures under wraps whenever Bel was around, it wasn't always possible.

"Now, now, Xanxus; Squalo's trying to tell you that there isn't any steak here for you," the man explained in a soft tone, knowing to be careful when dealing with an irate Xanxus. "If you agree to eating something else just while we're here, I'm sure Squalo would love to make you a steak when you get home."

Xanxus was silent for a few seconds before he huffed, turning his head away. "Japanese sirloin, bitch. I expect you to cook it the second we're home."

Squalo cut himself off before he made the situation worse. He instead just snarled before he forced himself to growl out in a lower tone, "The fuck do you want from _here_, jerk-off?"

"What-fucking-ever."

Squalo grumbled angrily as he approached the counter. He ignored the way the cashier handled him with care, instead muttering out what everyone wanted and then slamming money down on the counter.

Bel giggled as he watched the scene, playing with Fran's loose strands of hair. "Squ-Squ is grumpy, Froggy~"

"Do they always fight like that?" When Fran had been at their house that night, their fight hadn't been _nearly _as bad as this one – how had they been together so long, and why did they put up with each other? Fran vaguely wondered if their relationship had also influenced Bel into staying with Mammon for as long as he had, probably teaching the younger adult it was somewhat normal to be in an abusive relationship.

"They've fought worse." Bel shrugged, his smile never slipping. "They'll get over it when Squ-Squ sucks Xanxus off tonight."

Fran shuddered as uneasiness washed over him, the conversation suddenly making him nervous. Bel picked this up easily and leant down, kissing his boyfriend.

"It's okay, Froggy; you're safe."

Fran nodded, burying his face in against Bel's front. He felt gentle hands patting his shoulders, and he was relieved; he didn't know what he'd do if Bel had left him after the assault.

Once the food had been handed over to everyone, they made their way back to their previous table. They took their original positions again, this time with food, and ignored the looks that were sent their way. Fran was surprised security hadn't paid them a visit yet.

"Senpai, you shouldn't eat with your fingers." Fran watched with disdain as his boyfriend picked up another chip saturated in gravy, the thick piece of food disappearing into a hot mouth seconds later. "You'll get germs."

"He's always done it," Squalo pointed out, dropping his piece of chicken back onto his plate. Unlike Bel, he was using plastic cutlery he had picked up on his way back to the table. "He doesn't learn. I say I should chop his fucking fingers off if he keeps doing it."

"Fuck that; I'm just going to shoot him in the kneecap," Xanxus interjected.

"You have guns?" Fran looked up from where he had been picking at the hem of his shirt, not sure how he felt about this piece of information; while he himself wasn't a fan of guns, he had heard Kyouya telling Mukuro about a lot of the cases he had handled, and guns always seemed to pop up in said conversations – it was enough to make him wary of gun owners, to say the least.

Xanxus nodded, taking a savage bite out of the hamburger he had received. "Want to see them?"

"Not personally."

Bel sniggered before he patted his boyfriend's head. "Good Froggy."

Xanxus shrugged, his attention returning to his food. Fran grabbed the bottle of coke Squalo had bought for him, undoing the cap and drinking a little bit. He then eyed off the chips Bel was devouring like a starved animal, having to admit that he did feel just the tiniest bit hungry.

Bel watched from the corner of his eye as small fingers wrapped around the plastic fork abandoned by his food. He didn't speak as the object was dipped into the chips, pulling away with just one small piece.

Fran hesitated before he ate it, fighting back the nauseas feeling that was plaguing him. He had to admit that, after being so used to having four meals a day and then suddenly hardly eating anything, it felt good to get something into his stomach.

Bel patted Fran's thigh tenderly, knowing the younger would understand how happy he was.

"You drowned your chips in gravy, senpai; it's like an underwater shipwreck, but with chips and gravy."

"Shishi~ I like it this way~" Bel was happy to see the fork make a return to the chips, and he started slowing his eating pace down, leaving some for Fran.

At least Fran was eating _something_, even if he didn't eat much.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Senpai, I don't want to go in there..." Fran frowned as he looked up at the name of the shop the group had just stopped in front of; Erotica Nights? What kind of shop named themselves _Erotica Nights? _Even if it _was _a sex toy shop?

"Voi, the babies can wait outside." Squalo smirked to himself as he regarded the two youngest males. "We won't be long – should I pick anything up for you, Belphegor?"

"Lube, please~ Strawberry scented~" Bel wasn't embarrassed in the least as he held Fran tighter, as if this was a normal conversation between he and his adoptive parent. "I'm waiting for Froggy, so it gets a bit lonely sometimes~"

Fran blushed and looked away, hearing the three eldest adults chuckling. Sometimes Bel had no shame whatsoever.

"Let's sit over here, Froggy~" Bel gestured to a small couch resting in front of the shop opposite them. "They might take a while; they get excited in stores like this~"

Fran nodded, feeling very uncomfortable with this; he had never been bothered by these kinds of situations before, so he knew it was brought on by the assault. "Do they always go into shops like that...?"

"Yeah, and I usually go with them; it's fun. Will Froggy come in with me one day? Doesn't have to be soon, Froggy~ I promise~"

Fran nodded. "Maybe, senpai... We'll see."

While Bel leant against the wall behind him, his arms behind his head, Fran had curled up against him. Small fingers played with blond locks as teal eyes observed the older male emotionlessly; Fran didn't want to look around at his surroundings, because he could _feel _judgemental gazes burning into his skin. Bel ignored it completely, and Fran could only imagine how long it had taken Bel to just stop caring.

"Senpai, can I have your coke, please?" Fran accepted the bottle as it was handed to him, twisting the cap open. "I finished mine earlier. Thank you."

"It's okay, Froggy; you can have the rest~"

Fran hugged the bottle to him after he had finished with it, wondering when the others would be finished. He was okay with being in town with them, but he didn't like just sitting here; he felt exposed with all of the unwanted attention.

"Senpai..." Fran sighed as he sat up, getting to his feet. "Senpai, I'm going to the toilet; can you come with me, please?"

"Of course, Froggy~ And I'll kill anyone who looks at _my _Froggy~"

"You don't need to go that far, Bel-senpai." Fran slipped his hand into Bel's, soothed already by his boyfriend's comforting presence.

"Yes, I do." Bel had never sounded so serious before.

Fran couldn't help but crack a smile. "Maybe, but if I ask you not to kill someone over me, it'd be nice if you obliged – if I want someone dead, I'll tell you."

"Shishi~ The prince likes this compromise~" Bel patted a teal head, his obscured eyes glinting with excitement.

"I thought as much." Fran was pretty sure he'd _never _give Bel the okay to kill someone, but the blond was a _special _kind of special, and sometimes it was much easier to just go along with him instead of trying to talk him out of something. "I won't be long, senpai. Thank you for coming."

Bel would have loved to make a sexual pun out of the younger's words, but he knew Fran had his limits, and after what the boy had been through, now wasn't the best time for sexual puns. Instead, he leant down and kissed the boy, squeezing the hand in his.

"Anything for my cute Froggy~"

_**~~XX~~**_

After a few more hours, Bel had finally loaded Fran and his new bottle of lube – courtesy of Squalo, of course – into the car. It was silent between them as the boy stared out of the window, but Bel didn't push for conversation; sometimes it was nice just to enjoy one another's presence.

Bel had the radio playing at a soft hum, calm as he made his way through the busy traffic. He became excited when he heard a familiar song start playing, and he wanted to share his enjoyment with his boyfriend.

"Hey, Froggy, I like this song!" Bel turned to look at the boy when Fran didn't reply. "Froggy?"

Fran was fast asleep, looking as peaceful as he once did. Bel smiled softly, turning back to the road. He didn't have the heart to wake Fran; not after he had done so well today.

"I'll just have him listen to it on my iPod later~" Bel hummed along with the music as he pulled out of the heavy traffic and instead onto the lesser-used roads. "I think he'll like it~ Shishi~"

Fran was oblivious to the world around him, waking only once Bel had parked in the driveway of the boy's home and shook him awake.


	17. Chapter 17

One week later, Fran's eyes opened to an unfamiliar beeping. He blinked as he looked around him, finding that said beeping was coming from beneath the pillow his boyfriend was using.

Yawning, Fran reached out, shaking the stronger male. "Bel-senpai..."

The blond moaned before he reached beneath the pillow, stopping the strange beeping. He then curled back up into a ball, seemingly going back to sleep.

"Bel-senpai, what was that?"

"Five more minutes, Froggy..."

Fran grabbed his phone from the bedside table. He checked the time, finding eight-oh-one flashing on the screen. He understood now what that noise had been; Bel had _attempted _to set an alarm so that he could get up and help Fran get ready for his first appointment with Lussuria.

"Bel-senpai, I'm jumping in the shower." Fran swung his legs out of Bel's bed, still getting used to being at the man's home; though it was just as big as Mukuro's, the layout was different to what Fran was used to. "You have to wake up when I'm out and redressed."

Bel mumbled something in response, but didn't stir. Fran didn't mind; he knew that the lazier male wasn't a morning person.

The boy traversed the mess on the bedroom floor, stepping over dirty clothing and random items such as an iPod and various forms of pornography. How someone could live in such a mess was beyond him, but he didn't say anything – it wasn't his place to.

The bathroom in this house was a personal one, so it was on the other side of Bel's bedroom. Fran tried his hardest not to trip over anything and disturb his boyfriend, so he was relieved when he had finally managed to close the bathroom door as silently as possible without troubling the other.

The bathroom itself was a small one, but still rather nice. It was all marble, the shower tucked away in the corner while the bathtub lined the far wall. The toilet was across from the shower, and the basin rested in between the toilet and bathtub. There were a few personal items scattered around the room, but what caught Fran's attention the most was the same bottle of lube he had seen Squalo throwing to Bel that day when they had all been in town together.

It wasn't surprising that, even for a fairly large bottle, most of the lubricant had already been used. Fran couldn't help but laugh softly, knowing that without Bel getting any sex at all anymore, he had to find other means to keep himself pleased.

Fran hesitated before he unbuttoned his pyjama shirt; he had been at the doctor's yesterday with Mukuro, and they had given the all clear to finally remove the bandages from Fran's wounds as long as they were properly cleaned out and cared for several times a day.

The boy didn't want to see the ugly scarring that covered his body, and if he weren't so desperate for a shower to try and get rid of the filthy feeling that always plagued him, he would have much rather keep his clothing on and try to pretend it wasn't there.

Fran glanced away as he dropped his shirt to the floor, wincing as he caught sight of the huge ugly 'F' carved into his side. He closed his eyes as he dropped his warm pants to the ground next, feeling sick at the sight of the twin scars on the insides of both his thighs.

The seventeen-year-old couldn't help but look into the body-sized mirror that rested beside the basin. He flinched as he took in the sight of his body, feeling tears well up in his eyes at the words that would forever cover his body.

Fran knew one thing about his body; he didn't ever want to let anyone see it again – especially Belphegor.

_**~~XX~~**_

By the time Bel finally dragged himself out his bed, he moved over to the bathroom door. He tried the handle, only to find that Fran had locked it. He was a bit worried about this, concerned that maybe Fran was finding it harder to cope this morning.

"Froggy?" Bel knocked on the door, listening to the steady fall of the shower from inside the other room. "Froggy, are you okay?"

The reply came hesitantly, and Bel didn't miss the sobs Fran was fighting back. "Yes, senpai... I'm... fine..."

Bel wasn't convinced; he was worried that Fran may have hurt himself while no one had been there to stop him – Fran hadn't done anything like that yet, but who was to say he _wouldn't _after what he had been put through?

"Can I come in?"

This time, an audible sob was heard. "...N-no, senpai..."

"Why not?" Bel was starting to feel nauseas with worry; it wasn't like Fran to lock himself away like this. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I just... don't want you... to come in..."

"Froggy, you're scaring me..." The blond tried the doorhandle again, but it was still locked. "Please, let me in."

"No." Fran sounded scared this time, as if he was hiding something. "Please, just... g-go away, senpai..."

_He's not going to let me in... _Bel sighed as he turned to look behind him, not knowing what to do; he was scared that Fran may have done something silly in there, but at the same time, the weaker male might just be wanting some alone time – if he were to break the door down for nothing, it could set Fran's healing back. _But what if I leave him and he _has _done something...? _

"...Froggy will be out soon?" Bel questioned, trying to compromise. "Five more minutes?"

"...Okay, senpai..."

"I'll go make breakfast, Froggy... See you soon..." Bel stared at the ground as he walked out of his room, wishing Fran could be more open as to what he was feeling. He knew it wasn't Fran's fault, but it _hurt _to know he wasn't trusted fully just yet.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Froggy, you'd better eat quickly." Bel had just finished putting the spreads on the toast he had cooked. He glanced down at his wristwatch, knowing they had to leave soon to be on time for Fran's appointment. He handed a plate of toast to his boyfriend before he took his own. "I'm going to go and quickly get dressed; I'll be back out in a minute."

Fran nodded, sitting down at the table. He picked his breakfast apart slowly, not hungry in the least – how _could _he be hungry when looking at his disgusting body made him lose all appetite?

"Stupid senpai..." Fran couldn't help but mutter before he stood up, moving over to the bin tucked away in one of the cupboards beneath the counter. He tipped his breakfast into it before he took the plate back over to the table, sitting where he had been previously. "Trying to come into the bathroom like that... He'd never want to touch me again if he knew..."

Fran waited for Bel to come back into the kitchen and, once the man did, he wasn't surprised when the first question asked was, "Did you finish it already, Froggy?"

"Yes, senpai. I ate it all." Fran closed his eyes as he spoke, not wanting to look at the one he loved as he lied to the older male. Bel knew his boyfriend was lying, but he didn't push; Fran had only tried to reassure him.

"Okay, Froggy... Can I see your arms?" Bel took in the confused expression that crossed the younger's face at this question.

"Why?" Fran instinctively pulled his limbs back to his person, tugging at the sleeves of his oversized black hoody nervously.

"I told you before... You were scaring me..." Bel was careful as he explained his fears, not wanting to come off as too strong. "You've never... locked me out like that before... I was scared that... you were hurting yourself..."

Fran glanced away as he processed what had been said. He sighed before he rolled his sleeves up, greatly uncomfortable with this. He revealed pale flesh, unmarred by anything that could be perceived as self-harm – nothing but a few scratches and bruises here and there that were completely harmless.

"Can I see your stomach, too?" Bel wasn't convinced, especially when Fran's eyes widened in shock and the boy shook his head, scooting backwards on his chair. "Why not?"

"...Because... I don't..."

Bel swallowed the lump in his throat before he closed the distance between them, reaching out to lift up the hoody. Fran just squeaked and rolled off the chair, trying to get away.

"Froggy!" Bel was faster than the smaller male, and he caught Fran before he could get too far. He tried to force the piece of clothing upwards, but Fran's tiny hands kept trying to push him away as tears ran down pale cheeks.

"Bel, no!" Fran was pleading, his eyes full of fear. "Please! No, Bel! Don't!"

Bel had _never _seen Fran like this before, and it hurt him greatly. He hesitantly pulled his hands away when Fran started to shake, hearing the whimpers and pleas escape his lips.

"...I'm sorry, Froggy..." Bel let go of the younger, moving away. He shouldn't have forced Fran like that and instead tried to make him comfortable enough to talk to him, but he had only been trying to do what he believed was the _right _thing. Maybe it was better to discuss his fears with Mukuro first? He was sure the blue-haired male would be able to coax Fran into opening up even just a little. "I didn't mean to scare you..."

Fran just shook his head, staying where he had been knocked over. His hand had moved to slip beneath his hoody as he whimpered and sobbed. He knew, deep down, that Bel hadn't missed the small droplet of blood that slid down into the blond's view.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Are you still upset with me...?" Bel turned the car off after they had arrived at the small building Lussuria practised in. He glanced over at Fran, worried as to what was going through the boy's mind; Fran hadn't said a word to him since breakfast.

Fran shook his head as he undid the seatbelt; it wasn't that he was mad at the other; it was just that with everything that had happened that morning, he wanted to be alone.

"I'm really sorry, Froggy..." Bel closed the car door behind him as he moved to Fran's side. "I just... was worried... Are you okay...?"

Fran nodded, walking up the pavement towards the house. He made sure to move away whenever the tousle-haired male got too close to him, wanting his own space today.

Bel was deeply hurt, but he didn't comment on it. He instead listened in silence as Lussuria greeted them a minute later, and then followed the two into the session room.

While Lussuria was able to get Fran to talk to him, Bel had not – and that was the most painful thing the blond had experienced in a _long _time.

Bel kept his head down as he listened to Fran recounting the day of the assault, and his heart ached, wishing _he _had been the one the boy had opened up to like this – how could his frog keep something so important from him...?

Standing up, Bel said softly, "I'm going to grab some water, Luss..."

Bel took the time out of the session to calm himself; it was making him feel sick hearing what Mammon had done to the boy, and he wasn't sure he could handle it anymore – he needed to get out before he lost control of himself.

The minutes ticked by on his wristwatch as Bel stood in the small kitchen, sipping at a glass of water. He was frowning, debating whether or not he was now calm enough to go back, but he couldn't leave Fran by himself – not when the boy had been through so much.

The blond dragged his feet across the ground as he walked back to the session room, his glass of water still in hand. He reached out to open the door, but he stopped as he heard his name being said from inside the room. He stayed still, listening to the muffled words.

"Bel-senpai wouldn't want me anymore if he knew..." Fran said softly, his voice heavy with stress. "If he saw them... he'd hate me..."

"Bel-chan's not like that, dear," Lussuria explained. "He loves you very much. He just wants you to be okay."

"He tried to see them this morning..." A soft sniff sounded before Fran spoke again. "He... tried to force me to show him... He really scared me..."

"Bel-chan's a bit rough around the edges, but he really only had good intentions, Fran-kun. Will you please show me? Just so I can understand better? I promise I won't tell Bel-chan; this is confidential and no one will ever know."

There was silence for a few seconds before Bel recognised the rustling of Fran's hoody being removed. There was a startled gasp from Lussuria, and the blond couldn't take it anymore; he opened the door and stepped in, hurrying to Fran's side to see what the younger was hiding from him.

Fran looked like a deer caught in headlights as he stared at Bel, his eyes wide and mouth agape, his shirt held up to reveal ugly scarring in the form of the sentence, _Fuck you, Belphegor _carved into the younger's side, travelling over his stomach to his other side, with the blond's name imprinted below the first two words.

Bel and Fran just stared at each other for a few minutes in silence, Bel trying to wrap his head around what he was seeing, while Fran waited, expecting hatred, abuse – _anything _from his boyfriend.

What the teal-haired male hadn't expected was for Bel to turn around in silence in order to leave the room. He whimpered as he reached out, grabbing Bel's striped shirt and stopping him. Bel didn't speak as he turned back to the smaller male; he just stood there, his expression unreadable.

"T-there's more..." Fran whispered, pulling a shaking hand away from the stronger male. He trembled as he unbuttoned his pants, sliding them down pale thighs. He then moved the sleeves of his boxers high enough to reveal the twin carvings on the inside of his thighs, knowing that there was no hiding it now – if Bel was going to leave him for something he hadn't been able to stop, he may as well know the extent of the damage.

Lussuria was silent as he watched the younger males. He wasn't surprised when Bel's lips curled into a grimace, nor did he blink when the other stormed out of the room seconds before a loud bang sounded from out in the waiting room.

Fran was tearing up, believing to have just lost his precious boyfriend. Lussuria, however, stayed calm.

"I'll check on him after we're done here," the man said softly. "Fran-kun, is there anything else you have to tell me?"

Fran shook his head, just one thing on his mind now. "Bel-senpai is going to leave me..."

_**~~XX~~**_

"Bel-chan?"

The blond looked up from where he had been curled into a ball. He was laying across the row of chairs, his knees tucked tightly to his chest as he buried his face in them. His cheeks were wet, and his eyes were red and puffy.

Lussuria was standing by his side, Fran hiding behind him. The boy looked as if he had been crying for an eternity, and it broke Bel's heart.

"Are you okay, Bel-chan?" Lussuria knelt down by the chairs, patting blond hair in a soothing manner.

"...Why didn't Froggy tell me...?" Bel whispered, his voice thick with hurt. "...Why didn't he... trust me...?"

"Because he believes you wouldn't have loved him anymore." The flamboyant male didn't hesitate to explain this to Bel, knowing it wasn't just Fran suffering from the assault; it was everyone around him, too. "He just doesn't want to lose you, Bel-chan. He _loves _you."

"I love Froggy, too..." Bel whispered. He pushed himself into a sitting position, reaching out to pat teal hair. "Froggy, don't be scared; I just... I want to help you... It wasn't your fault... I know... I'd never leave you for something that's not your fault, Froggy – you're too important."

Fran let out a choked sob as he moved closer, pressing himself close to his boyfriend as he cried. "I'm sorry, senpai..."

"Don't be sorry, Froggy; it's not your fault. I promise."

Fran nodded, just wishing he could keep it all to himself so he wasn't hurting his loved ones.


	18. Chapter 18

"Bel-senpai..."

Bel grunted as he stirred the next morning, pulling away from the boy he had been spooning and instead rolling onto his other side, his back to the younger.

"Bel-senpai." Fran sat up, shaking the man's shoulder. He didn't relent until Bel sighed and rolled back over to face him.

"Froggy, it's far too early..." The man pouted. "Go back to sleep."

"Master wants me to go back to school today, remember?" Fran rubbed at his eyes with a small hand. "I have to get up and go, or Master will be mad at us."

"Can't Froggy stay here?" Bel reached out, running his fingers against the back of Fran's hand. "Please?"

"I can't, senpai. You can go back to sleep if you want to; I just wanted to tell you in case you got worried."

"Froggy is gonna walk to school?" The blond frowned at the suggestion before he shook his head. "No. It's too cold out there, Froggy; you'll get _sick_ – the prince will take you~"

"Senpai, you don't have to; I've walked to and from school in worse. You should just go back to sleep and get some more rest."

"Nope~" Bel sat up next, leaning down to kiss Fran's forehead. "The prince is too gentlemanly to let Froggy get ready for school by himself~"

Fran nodded, knowing he wasn't going to talk his boyfriend out of it. "Where did you put my bag, senpai?"

"The 'carnivore' left it by the couch for you~" Bel grinned, having always found Kyouya strange. "He said he brought all your school stuff out, and he got you a brand new uniform, too~ Mukurro threw out_ that _set."

"Thanks, senpai. I won't be long." Fran got out of the bed and left the room, heading down into the living room. He felt the slightest stress come over him at the mention of Kyouya, reminded of the fact that, while Mukuro had been hospitalised for Salmonella, the boy had to stay with Bel. He would have loved to go and visit his guardian, but the blue-haired male had insisted he would rather Fran stay away and focus on more important things. The boy knew Mukuro had only been trying to lessen his charge's stress load, but the student would still have enjoyed going to see him.

Bel's living room was spacious, but Fran felt it was only that way because there was a couch and a TV tucked away on the far end of the room, with nothing but a couple of windows to add a bit of interest into the room; after having lived with a money-hungry boyfriend for so long, Fran could only imagine the blond was probably too damaged to want to go out and add a bit more life to his home.

Fran picked up his schoolbag from the couch cushion. He opened it, finding all of his textbooks and notes inside. There was a fresh uniform folded neatly by the bag, not a single crease in the material.

The uniform made Fran greatly nervous just_ looking _at it. He frowned, reaching out to touch the soft fabric before he stopped, feeling shudders going down his spine. Part of him wanted the uniform to disappear and never make another appearance again, but he knew he had to wear it – besides, as soon as he got back to Bel's house after school, he could always take it off and put some casual clothes back on.

Deciding Fran would leave getting dressed until later, he moved back to the bedroom, his hand ready to grip the doorknob and open it. He stopped only when he heard a familiar moan coming from inside, knowing he was about to intrude on something he used to take part in himself.

Fran frowned as he took a few steps back, tilting his head to the side. Knowing what Bel was doing made him a tad nervous, but he himself was surprised that he was still so calm after the abuse – it must be testimony to how much he loved and felt safe with Bel.

"Shit..."

Fran swallowed in uneasiness as he heard his boyfriend mumble from inside the room. He felt awkward just standing here when he had used his own hands and mouth to pleasure the same man countless times prior.

"Nngh... Froggy... Fuck..."

Fran sighed as he backed himself into the wall behind him, sliding down it so that he could sit and wait patiently for Bel to finish himself off.

_I wish I could still do that... _Fran looked up from his lap, his teal eyes staring at the bedroom door. _It's just... I can't anymore... I can't... _feel _anything anymore..._

Fran stood back up as he heard the familiar guttural moan that always signified Bel's climax. He approached the door once again, listening in before he felt he was comfortable enough to open the door and step back into the room.

Bel was standing in the bathroom now, washing his hands under the basin. He smiled pleasantly as he heard Fran come to his side, having always been sated after a session or two.

"Good morning, Froggy~" Bel watched as the younger reached out for the green toothbrush the blond had bought just for Fran, moving over to give his boyfriend some room. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Anything, but just a little bit." Fran felt as lifeless as he sounded in that moment. His eyes were more dull and expressionless as usual as he grabbed the tube of toothpaste next, lathering an appropriate amount onto his toothbrush. "Maybe a tea as well, senpai."

"Okay~" Bel said nothing about the unusual behaviour, instead keeping his smile up. "I'll just get dressed and then I'll get it for you~"

Bel didn't ask why Fran wasn't dressed; he had his own suspicions. He instead left to go to the kitchen, intending on making the most filling meal he could that wouldn't make Fran feel as if he were being overwhelmed by food.

The teal-haired male sighed as he started cleaning his teeth before grabbing the hairbrush a few minutes later and fixing his hair. He washed his face, and once he was satisfied with his cleanliness, he went back out to the kitchen.

Breakfast was peaceful between them while Bel chatted animatedly about anything and everything and Fran listened politely, nibbling away at the French toast the older male had prepared. He also had a mug of hot tea next to him while the other gulped down a milkshake.

"You'd better get dressed, Froggy." Bel glanced at his wristwatch, speaking hesitantly; he didn't want Fran to go to school as he'd much rather the younger stay here with him. "We'll leave in fifteen minutes."

"...Senpai..." Fran looked down as he pushed his food away, no longer hungry. He sighed, taking a deep breath. "...It happened... in my uniform... What _he_ did..."

Bel was silent for a few seconds, understanding what Fran was trying to tell him; the uniform was bringing back memories Fran wished he didn't have. He instead put his milkshake back on the table as he stood up, moving to hug Fran tightly; he knew it was all his fault this had happened, and every day he blamed himself for what the younger was going through.

"Do you want me to write you a note so you can go in different clothing?" the blond offered, wishing he could help. "Maybe you could just wear your school pants, and a different shirt and your hoody – I'll say your school jumper is being washed~"

"It's okay, senpai; they won't accept the note unless it's from Master anyway. Thank you, though."

Bel wished there was something he could do to help, but he didn't know what; Squalo and Xanxus had always known what to do when he was younger, but he wasn't _them - _what was he supposed to _do_?

"Froggy can get dressed just before we leave, then." Bel offered a smile at his promise, hoping the younger would appreciate his effort. "The prince can wait~"

"Thank you, senpai." Fran stood up, running a hand through his hair. "I'm just going to go sort out what I need for today."

"Okay, Froggy." Bel reached out, pulling Fran's plate closer to him. He tipped the half-eaten French toast onto his own plate, his appetite large enough to eat the boy's own on top of the five he had had previously – it was times like this Fran wondered if Bel had ever had liposuction before because the blond was unimaginably thin compared to how much he devoured in a day.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel parked his car out the front of Fran's school twenty minutes later. He felt sick as he watched the way his boyfriend trembled uncontrollably, knowing it was because wearing that uniform was a trigger for him.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Bel felt panicked as he watched a tiny hand grab the door handle. "I can call in for you, or ask Mukuro or Kyouya to..."

"It's not that I _want _to go, senpai, because I really don't..." Fran sighed as he pulled his hand back to himself, hugging his schoolbag tightly. "It's that I _have _to go... I want to stay with you as much as you want me to, senpai..."

Bel sighed. "Alright, Froggy... Ring me if you need me to come get you – I don't care if the stupid staff won't allow it; I'll stab them all if they try to stop me."

"I know you would, senpai." Fran leant across the car so that he could kiss the older male goodbye. "I'll text you when I'm not busy, okay?"

"Okay, Froggy..." Bel couldn't help but reach out, grabbing the younger's hand and squeezing it tightly. "If anyone gives you any shit, I'll come down and kill them for you, Froggy~"

"Thank you, senpai, but I'm sure it'll be fine." Fran took a deep breath to calm his nerves before he opened the door and got out of the car. He stood on jelly-like legs for several seconds before he closed it and waved to Bel.

The looks and whispers that accompanied Fran wherever he went bothered the boy, but he was too proud to let the other students see that it bothered him; he instead kept his usual emotionless expression as he walked through the crowded hallways towards his locker.

"I heard he was raped..."

"That's really disgusting; he's a boy – he should have been able to put up a fight."

"That's true. Do you think he's lying? I mean; _guys _don't _get _raped."

Fran closed his eyes as he stopped in front of his locker. He chewed on his bottom lip as he undid the combination lock.

"It's hard to tell if he's lying or not; he always looks so bored."

"Than he _is _lying – if it really happened, you'd be able to tell!"

"Yeah... Wow, what an attention whore; going around and making up stories like that. Gross. No wonder he doesn't have friends."

"Yeah, why'd you even make something like that up? What if someone who really _has _been raped hears it?"

It took all of Fran's self-control to remain calm and put his bag into the locker. He pulled out his books for the first class, hugging them tight to him as he tried desperately to ignore the whispers and mutters around him.

The boy closed the locker door a tad harder than he had meant to, and he prayed it hadn't drawn any more attention. He didn't know whether or not he was in the clear, but at least no one followed him to homeroom.

The bell rang just as Fran sat down by the door to the classroom. He knew the teacher wouldn't be too far away, so he pulled out the novel they were reading for English class, wondering just how far behind he had fallen; in the weeks he had been absent from school, the teachers had been slack in putting together homework for Mukuro to bring home.

Again, the whispers crowded the small boy, slowly getting louder as his classmates arrived.

"Uhh, Fran...?"

Addressed male looked up as he heard his name. He found himself looking into the face of one of his older classmates, a _much _taller, black-haired male with red glasses named Soujiro.

"Yes?" Fran was quiet, instinctively pulling away as the older male came closer. He broke eye contact, looking anywhere but at the other.

"You've been away for a while so you wouldn't know, but we actually finished that novel..." The male adjusted his glasses. "We've already gotten halfway through the next one."

The boy sighed as he closed the book, slipping it back between his math books. "I haven't even gotten halfway through _this _one..."

"Sorry..."

Fran was agitated already; he had tried his hardest to keep up with the schoolwork, it being his last year and all, but it was hard when all he was given was some sheets with instructions for assignments, and some random questions Fran didn't see a point to – he hadn't been given anything regarding where his class had gotten up to or what to expect, not even when their tests were and what to study for.

With all the stress Fran was _already _under, the last thing he wanted was for school to add on top of it.

"Alright, guys, is everyone here?"

Fran got to his feet at his teacher's voice. He moved away from the door, looking away as the man's blue eyes fixed onto him.

"Oh, Fran-kun!" The grey-haired male smiled at the sight of his student. "You're finally back with us."

"Yes, sensei," Fran replied quietly.

"I'll need to talk to you once we're inside."

Fran sighed as he nodded. He was the last to step into the room, and he sat at his desk until their teacher had done the roll and announced important news. He came up to the desk once he was called for, wishing he could just go home already.

"Fran-kun, you've missed so much school, your teachers have all emailed me out of concern." The man turned his laptop around to show an entire inbox full of messages from the younger's teachers, the subject named _Fran_. "You've missed several tests in each of your subjects, and you're far behind in all of the criteria. Each class has already moved forward by one or two topics, and in the case of math, four. Are you going to be able to handle this and catch up?"

"I'll try, sensei." Fran didn't want to have this conversation; he wanted to go home and curl up in bed and never have to deal with anyone again.

"You're a good student, Fran-kun."

"Thank you. May I return to my seat now?"

The man nodded, dismissing Fran. "I hope it works out for you."

But alas, as hard as Fran was _trying _to catch up, he was soon finding out it would be harder than he had originally anticipated.

"Fran-kun."

Fran had just joined his first class of the day, his math class. He had been sitting quietly at the back of the room, staring out of the window, when his teacher caught his attention.

The boy might not have minded her giving him instructions in a private discussion, but she instead called out over the class, "Fran-kun, we are about to have a test, and seeing as you haven't been here for the past four topics, you're going to have to try and catch up in your own time. Please go to the library and work on whatever you were doing before you left."

Fran couldn't help but feel frustrated at this – wasn't coming back to school when he _didn't fucking want to _enough of an indicator he _was trying_? And what teacher just tells their student to work on _something _without even telling them the _four topics they haven't been here for? _

There were murmurs throughout the class as Fran slammed his textbook shut. The boy was usually so docile and expressionless, they hadn't expected him to become so angry over such a trivial matter.

Without a word, Fran gathered his belongings before he stormed out of the classroom, his eyes narrowed and a frown on his face as he made his way to the library. He didn't bother signing in as he wasn't supposed to be here without his teacher's signature, and he didn't exactly feel like being interrogated if he were caught signing in. He knew he wouldn't be bothered where he was as the librarians would just assume another staff member had already checked his signature.

Fran was feeling so stressed, he _couldn't _open his textbook again. He instead just placed his elbows on the table as he dropped his face into his hands, just wanting to go home.

_**~~XX~~**_

Bel had been growing worried when lunchtime rolled by, and he still hadn't heard anything from Fran. He wanted to text the younger and check on him, but he didn't want to get the younger's phone taken from him.

Instead, the blond was just lazing on the couch with a tub of strawberry ice cream as he watched TV, waiting for Fran to text him.

When the older male's phone _did _go off, it seemed Fran wanted to step it up a notch and ring him instead.

"Froggy?" Bel was happy to finally hear from his boyfriend, but the smile he had been wearing was quickly wiped once he heard the other sniff on the other end of the line. "Froggy, what's wrong?"

"Come get me, senpai." Fran mumbled something inaudible before he spoke again, his voice full of desperation. "Please, come get me... The receptionist wouldn't let me go home because Master's in hospital and Kyouya's phone is off... They wouldn't call you because you're not on the records. Please... Come get me..."

"Yeah, I'll be there soon, Froggy; wait out the front for me – if anyone tries to get up you for leaving, tell them to fuck off."

"Thank you, senpai..." Fran sniffed as he ended the call, leaving Bel's heart to thump in worry; what could possibly have hurt his little froggy enough for him to make that kind of call?

_**~~XX~~**_

"Froggy, what happened?" Bel leant across the car once Fran had gotten in, wrapping his arms around the boy. He wasn't surprised when the boy gripped desperately to him, knowing something bad had to have happened for this reaction.

"Hate it..." Fran said, his voice heavy with tears. "Hate it there... Don't wanna go back..."

Bel tensed before growling out, "Who am I killing, Froggy...?"

"Just... S-stupid teachers not telling me what to do, and then carrying on because I wasn't here... One of them even had the guts to tell me I shouldn't have been skipping if I didn't want to fall behind... And the other students are just... S-senpai, I want to go home... Please, take me home..."

"Yes, Froggy." Bel pulled away from the younger before he put the car back into drive. He hated to see that Fran was crying again, wishing there was more he could do to help. "I went out and got some more ice cream after I dropped you off; does Froggy want some? Or a milkshake?"

Fran shook his head. "No, senpai... I just want to see Master... Can you take me to see him soon...? Please...?"

"Of course I will." Bel reached out, caressing teal locks in a fond manner. "Is he doing okay?"

Fran nodded. "Kyouya said Master is starting to hold his fluids and electrolytes better again, so he should be out soon..."

"It's not good he got so sick when you guys were still moving house." Bel was trying his hardest to make light-hearted conversation, just wanting the younger to be okay.

Fran nodded, turning to stare out of the window and watch the world go by him. He wasn't looking forward to upsetting Mukuro by telling him he wanted to drop out of school, but what else was he supposed to do? Continue going and lose what little sanity he had left?

Fran couldn't do that – he _couldn't. _


	19. Chapter 19

"What are you doing here, little one?" Mukuro looked up from the magazine he had been holding as he heard Fran's voice call out to him. He was greatly concerned when he saw that Fran had been crying, not knowing to expect. He reached out, gesturing for his charge to come closer. "What happened?"

Bel stood by the door to the hospital room as he watched Fran climb onto the bed. He knew it would be better for him to give them some privacy, so grabbing their attention, he said, "I'll wait out here, Froggy; come get me when you're done."

"Senpai, you can stay..." Fran was trying so hard to be strong, but it didn't fool either of the adults; all it would take for Fran to break down was to divulge whatever was on his mind.

"Little one, did you go to school today?" Mukuro grabbed the blue turtleneck the younger was wearing, knowing Fran never changed out of his uniform until he was going to bed.

Fran nodded, resting his head on the other's shoulder. "I did, Master... But only... for a little bit..."

"Why?" Mukuro didn't mean to come off as stern to the boy – he was disappointed, knowing Fran had missed enough school as it was – but he knew that was how the other had taken his tone.

"..." Fran glanced away. "...Because... I don't want to go back to school, Master..."

"Why's that?" Mukuro caressed teal strands as he moved his face closer to the younger's, trying to calm Fran.

"...There's no point... It's like everyone hates me now..." Fran sighed as he reached up, rubbing at his wet eyes. "Teachers aren't helping me, and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing anymore... I'm too far behind, and I'll never catch back up, Master..."

"But it was just one day, Fran," Mukuro pointed out. "You didn't even go for all of it – you _have _to keep going."

"Master..." The boy sounded so defeated, Mukuro wished he could agree and take Fran out of school – but it was important for him to graduate and get into a good university so he could have a good life. He was only trying his hardest to do the right thing by his charge. "Master, I feel like I'm going insane... Please..."

"I know it must be hard, but look at it this way; you've only got a few more months left, and I can help you catch up with everything you've missed – I'm sure Belphegor wouldn't mind helping you, either."

"Master..." Fran pressed himself closer his guardian, tears flowing down his cheeks. "Master, I... I don't... Can't... Can't handle it... I'm going crazy, Master..."

"No, you're not, Fran." Mukuro sighed. "You're not going crazy; you're going to be alright."

"No, I won't be..." Fran reached up, gripping at his teal strands. He pulled at them hard enough to rip hair from his scalp, trying his hardest not to cry more than he already had. "I don't... M-master, you don't _get _it...!"

"What don't I get, Fran?" the blue-haired male whispered. "What don't I get?"

"Everything..." Fran pulled his knees to his chest, hunching over them. He trembled, not knowing what to do anything. "Master, you don't _get anything! _I'm getting bullied because I was raped, and the teachers don't give a damn! They won't even tell me what I'm supposed to do and expect me to figure it out myself! They're not helping me at all! I got shoved into a locker and spat on because of something I couldn't help – why _should _I go back there?!"

"Fran, please..."

"I don't _want _to go back, and I _won't_ go back, Master!" Fran cried. "I don't care what you say; I'm _not _going back!"

"Fran, look..." Mukuro wrapped his arm around the boy's waist, pulling him closer. "Look, I'll go talk to your teachers and I'll sort this out for you, okay? You're going to school – you didn't go through all those years for nothing when you're so close to finishing."

"I don't... want... to go _back, _Mukuro!" Fran scratched at his face, his eyes wild with emotion. "Why are you being so _selfish?! _Why does it matter to you whether or not I've wasted years?! I keep trying to tell you how I feel and you're disregarding it! Haven't I done _enough _for you by coming home from school every day and focusing on my homework? I never did anything I wanted to until I had it all finished – and all my weekends I've sacrificed studying for tests, Mukuro! Why are you asking so much of me?!"

"Fran..." Mukuro could see how riled up Fran was becoming – something he had never experienced before. Fran was such a calm person, it was hard to imagine him breaking down like this. "Fran, you need to calm dow – did you just _hit _me?"

Fran stared at his hand, his eyes widened with shock; he had barely been conscious of his actions, but the image of his clenched first connecting with Mukuro's arm was burned into his mind. His tears fell harder as he realised what he had done – he didn't even know _why _he had done it. He had... just... been angry... He hadn't _meant _to hit Mukuro!

Mukuro's eyes flared with anger as he shoved Fran from the bed. He lay down on his side, his back to the boy, as he pulled the blankets up to his chin. "Go home, Fran."

"Master, I..."

"Fran!" Mukuro snapped. "Go home!"

Bel knew Mukuro wasn't messing around, so he moved forward and pulled Fran to his feet. He was silent as he took his boyfriend by the hand, tugging Fran out of the room and towards the exit of the hospital.

Neither of them spoke – neither of them knew what to say.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Here you go, Froggy." Bel handed his boyfriend a plate full of pizza just a few hours laters. He sat beside the younger on the couch, turning to look at what Fran was watching on the TV. "I made them myself."

"Thank you, senpai..." Fran was quiet as he accepted the food, but he made no effort to eat it – he instead just stared down at the plate, as if he were contemplating something.

"Squ-Squ said he was going to come out tonight, Froggy." Bel pulled a large chunk of pizza from the plate before he devoured it hungrily. "Do you want to go to bed before he comes out?"

Fran shook his head. "Why would I?"

"...You just seem... worked up, is all..." Bel wasn't used to being careful around Fran, and he _didn't like it. _

"I'm just tired, senpai..." Fran grabbed the glass of soda the older male had brought out for him earlier, taking a few sips. "It's been a long day..."

"Yeah... I know..." Bel sighed. "Don't listen to what Mukuro said, Froggy; _I_ won't make you go back to school. Let's find something for us to do tomorrow. Want to go swim – u-umm..."

Fran looked away at the suggestion, knowing the blond had only just clicked on to his error; Bel knew the younger didn't want his body to be seen anymore, and if they went out swimming... _everyone _would see the evidence of Mammon's abuse one way or another.

"Never mind, Froggy..." Bel cleared his throat as he scratched his nose. "Let's go see a movie instead, 'kay?"

"Okay, senpai..."

Bel smiled as he put his plate down on the armrest. He took Fran's next, putting it with his own, before he leant over the boy and hugged him tightly.

Fran fell backwards onto the couch, the two males' stomachs and chests pressed together. While Bel seemed genuinely happy with this sort of intimacy, Fran wasn't; it was making him uncomfortable, and he wanted it to stop.

"Senpai..." Fran tried to push the other off him, but Bel wouldn't budge. "Senpai, I don't like this position..."

Bel frowned, but he didn't let go; he instead hugged tighter. "Please...? Just for a little while longer...? The prince... feels very lonely lately... Froggy doesn't want to be intimate with him anymore..."

"Senpai..."

"There doesn't have to be any sex, or anything like that," Bel promised. "Just, please... At least accept the prince's love...? Just for a few minutes...?"

Fran sighed before he nodded; he knew he had been neglecting Bel's needs, and it really wasn't fair on the older male when the blond was being so patient with him – it wouldn't hurt to indulge in a bit of intimacy that wasn't scaring him _too _badly.

Bel smiled again as he felt Fran relax beneath him, and it made his heart race in excitement when small arms returned the embrace. He brought their lips together so that he could give the younger a soft kiss, just happy to be sharing this moment with his boyfriend.

The blond had almost fallen asleep not long later when he heard the front door opening and then the familiar shout of Squalo. He giggled as he pushed himself up far enough to see over the back of the couch, sending a grin to his adoptive parent.

"Squ-Squ~! Did you bring him~?" Bel's obscured eyes wandered over to pet carrier in the older male's hands, and he couldn't help but jump the couch in his eagerness.

Fran blinked as he sat up, looking over at the other two. He tilted his head as he watched Bel kneel before the cage, giggling as he poked his fingers in through the gate. "Bel-senpai, what's that?"

Bel didn't hear his boyfriend in his excitement; he opened the cage and reached in, resurfacing with a furry white creature with a very fluffy tail. "Mink! The prince missed Mink very much~"

"You're fucking lucky, brat; we were about ready to snap the bastard's neck," Squalo growled. "He kept biting the shit out of us."

"Shishi~ Mink just missed the prince is all~"

Fran had heard about Mink; it was the older male's pet, but Mammon had apparently refused to let Bel keep it at their home, so Squalo and Xanxus had been caring for it instead, and they couldn't bring it over until the blond had cleared it with the landlord as he wasn't supposed to be having animals in the house. He knew Bel loved the being, so he didn't hold it against the other for paying more attention to it than to him.

Bel hugged the animal tight before it ran up to rest on the man's shoulders, looking similar to a fancy scarf. He giggled as he stood up, engulfing Squalo in an embrace, too. He then turned around, dancing his way back to the couch.

"Froggy~ Say hello to Mink~" Bel leant down so that Fran was closer to the animal. His grin never faltered, expecting Fran to share in his happiness. "Froggy~"

Fran just pulled away as the small creature hissed at him, looking anywhere but at his boyfriend. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, not sure how he was supposed to be excited about an animal that clearly didn't like him already.

While Bel didn't seem to notice this, too enticed in talking to his pet like it was a real person, Squalo could sense Fran's bad mood. He stepped past Bel and sat on the couch next to the younger, conscious of putting distance between he and the boy – it wasn't in his nature to get so close to others, and on top of that, Fran was his adoptive kid's _boyfriend_.

"Not looking so happy today, brat." Squalo was surprised by the two plates of pizza sitting next to him; the Bel he knew should have demolished them within seconds. "Feeling alright?"

Fran nodded, trying to focus on the TV. "...Just had a bad day..."

"I can understand that; I have bad days every day." Squalo pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the time. "Has it got anything to do with the shithead? I'll sort him out for you if it does."

"No... I'm just... getting bullied at school now..." Fran sighed. "...Master doesn't get it, and is trying to make me keep going..."

"You know what you need?" A toothy grin crossed Squalo's face, almost resembling his namesake. "You need to learn how to fight."

"How is fighting going to solve anything?" Fran glanced away, not liking Squalo's advice – if he started fighting, it would only make things worse for him. After what he had done to Mukuro earlier...

"I'm not saying it will; I'm talking about the confidence and stress outlet you'll get if you're taught." The long-haired male stood up, standing before Fran. He raised a hand, showing the younger his palm. "Punch it."

"No, thank you..."

"I'm not joking; punch it. Belphegor got bullied all throughout school, so Xanxus and I taught him how to fight. It really made a difference."

Fran hesitated for a few seconds before he formed a fist, punching as hard as he could into Squalo's hand. He knew his attempt had been pathetic – especially for a male's standard – and couldn't help but feel embarrassed. "See? I'm not cut out for fighting."

"You've got potential – you didn't put your hips into it. Throw your hips into the punch; keep your arm straight. Don't use your shoulders – use your hips."

Fran glanced away again, backing away subconsciously. He heard Squalo call Bel over, and he instinctively held his breath as he heard the silver-haired male telling the blond to punch him.

"Shishi~" Bel grinned as he nodded. "Okay~"

Fran's eyes widened as his boyfriend punched Squalo in the chest, harder than anything he had witnessed before. The oldest male seemed unfazed by it, as if he were used to such heavy blows, and instead snorted.

"That all you've got, shithead?" Squalo taunted.

"Nope~" Bel's grin widened. "The prince just doesn't want to hurt his Squ-Squ~"

"Please, shithead, Xanxus hits harder than you – no way you'd hurt me." Turning to Fran, dark eyes softened. "See? Belphegor was a natural fighter, but he didn't have the confidence. Once we started teaching him, people stopped walking all over him because they knew he wasn't going to take it anymore. Xanxus and I can teach you."

"...I'll think about it..." Fran frowned, not sure if he wanted to be taught how to fight when he was already feeling so fragile; he could feel himself slipping, and he didn't think he wanted to know how to hurt someone when he was feeling like this – he might abuse his training by accident.

Besides, hadn't he done enough today by hardly even being _conscious _of hitting his _guardian_...? He didn't need to hurt anyone else.

"The offer's always there." Squalo turned his attention back to Bel now, pointing to the uneaten pizzas left on the couch. He suddenly turned from somewhat soft and caring, to loud and aggressive in that split second. "Voi! Don't waste your fucking food, shithead! Eat it!"

"Shishi~ Getting around to it, Squ-Squ~" Bel's obscured eyes narrowed as he witnessed the taller male taking a slice of _his _pizza. "Oi!"

"Get the fuck over it – nine times out of ten, you eat _our _food before we even get a fucking chance to _look _at it! You owe us, brat!"

Bel just pouted as he pulled his pet from his shoulders, hugging it close. "But that's different; you're peasants and I'm a _prince_ – I can eat whoever's food I want, but_ no one _can eat _his_ except for _Froggy_, and the last time I checked, we weren't in a relationship, Squ-Squ!"

"Too bad! I almost lost all my toes and fingers thanks to your fucking mink."

Fran just sighed as he excused himself from the room, intending on going to bed; the day had been far too long for him to cope with, and he needed some sort of relief from it, even if it were only temporary.


	20. Chapter 20

The first morning Fran spent living at Kyouya's home was not a pleasant one. While Mukuro and Kyouya were still getting along great, the blue-haired male had been distant to his charge. Fran had wanted Bel to come over and stay the night with him, feeling horrible about this new change, but he had been told no as the skylark didn't like 'crowding'.

Fran had spent most of the night awake, unable to stop the thoughts that were plaguing his mind. He had tried everything, but nothing he did had made him fall asleep until he had grown so tired at four in the morning, he had just collapsed.

Now, Mukuro was trying to wake him up for school, only to have the boy protest.

"Go away!" Fran was greatly agitated by his lack of sleep, and he couldn't help but pull away every time Mukuro reached out for him. "Leave me alone, Mukuro!"

"Fran, get out of bed!" Mukuro snapped back, trying to get a good enough grip on the younger to pull him from the bed. "You've got school!"

"I said I'm not going back!"

"Yes, you are!" Mukuro was in no mood to put up with the boy, especially when he was only trying to do the right thing. "You're going to school, Fran!"

"I hate you so much right now, Mukuro..." the teal-haired male growled, his eyes full of loathing. "I'd rather go live with Bel because at least _he _gets it..."

"You want to go?" Mukuro snarled back, wild emotion in his eyes. "Fine, then. Leave. But not until you finish your schooling."

"I'm not going back, you stupid pineapple." Fran winced as a large hand slapped his face, but he otherwise made no other show of emotion. "Fuck you, Mukuro."

"If you're not ready for school in ten minutes, I'm taking you there in your pyjamas." With that said, Mukuro left the room, heading back to Kyouya's.

Kyouya, who had been sleeping peacefully by the time Mukuro went to wake Fran up, was now glaring at the doorway, annoyance written all over his features.

"Fight me." Mukuro moved to the desk pressed against the far wall, grabbing the pair of tonfa that was sitting on it. "Fight me, Kyouya."

Kyouya didn't ask questions – he didn't have to; he'd heard it all. He caught his favoured weapons once they were thrown at him, waiting for the younger male to grab the trident Mukuro had trained with for over ten years.

They were both silent as they left the room, heading towards the spare room at the back of the house; while Mukuro's home had been more western styled, Kyouya's was a traditional Japanese one – plenty of room for sparring together.

Kyouya was aware of the fact that, when they had been younger, fighting was what had brought them to a mutual respect and, eventually, requited feelings. Despite that, they hadn't sparred together in years, their relationship solid and built upon enough for them to be comfortable without the constant tests of power.

So why was Mukuro wanting to fight now of all times? Was he really that stressed out because of Fran?

Kyouya hadn't seen this coming; Fran and Mukuro had been far too close to fight like this.

_**~~XX~~**_

"You shouldn't be forcing the green herbivore around like this."

Mukuro sighed as he knelt down, picking up his trident. The two had stopped for a small rest, having lost track of time. As always, they were on par with each other, and no winner had been declared as of yet. "What else am I supposed to do with him, Kyouya...? Let him drop out of school and get stuck in some dead-end job he hates?"

"Who said that's what's going to happen?" Kyouya had opened the rice paper door and was sitting in the sunshine, looking out into the back garden. His fluffy yellow bird had flown in some time throughout the fighting and was nestled on his shoulder. "Just because he leaves school early doesn't mean he's going to be miserable – quite the opposite."

"Kyouya, he _needs _to keep going."

"Why's that?"

"...Because... I don't want him to look back at his life in the future and hate himself for having left like this..." Mukuro glanced down at his nails, his voice becoming soft. "If he can pull through this crap, he'll know he can handle anything. It'll be showing everyone that they were wrong about him, and it'll prove to himself that he _is _strong. I know he is... He's just... having a hard time..."

"Herbivore, you can't just expect so much of him so soon after something like this." Kyouya fixed his eyes on his pet as it chirped his name, a faint smile crossing his face. "I've seen the outcomes of these things, and there was no closure for the green herbivore – how were we supposed to give him closure when the assailant killed himself? If you keep forcing him like this, you're only going to hurt him more than he already is."

"...He told me he hates me..." Mukuro's eyes shone with sadness. "I just... I was only trying to do the right thing for him... He doesn't even want to _be _with me anymore, Kyouya... He wants to be with Belphegor..."

"Why not let him go? The prince herbivore has a better understanding than you."

"..." Mukuro sighed. "...I don't know, Kyouya... I just don't know what to do anymore..."

The older male stood up at this, moving to sit against the wall with his boyfriend. It was silent between them, nothing more needing to be said; once Mukuro had rested his head on the smaller male's shoulder, he found the comfort he needed to think more clearly about what he was doing with Fran.

"...One more week..." the blue-haired male finally said, grabbing Kyouya's attention. "One more week. I'll talk to his teachers and make sure they're helping him, and I'll arrange for lessons outside of class to help him catch up. If he's still not happy, or he's getting worse... I'll pull him out..."

Kyouya nodded, knowing his boyfriend just wanted what was best for Fran.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Come on, Fran."

Fran blinked when he felt Mukuro turn the car off an hour later, the vehicle parked out the front of the boy's school. "Master...?"

"I'm going to talk to the principal." Mukuro pulled the keys from the ignition before he opened the car door, getting out. "You can go to class, Fran."

Fran sighed, but he nodded anyway; he had no intention of going to class, knowing he could hide himself away until he was sure Mukuro would have left and then make his way over to Bel's home.

However, as if Mukuro was reading the younger's mind, he added, "And if the school notices you're so much as _late _to a class, I'll have them ring me, Fran. Don't even _think _about trying to skip."

Fran just rolled his eyes as he slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, slamming the car door closed. "How about _you _try and put up with this crap and see how _you _feel?"

"Don't start, Fran. Get to class."

Fran shrugged as he quickened his pace, crossing the road while Mukuro locked the car. He put distance between them at a rapid pace as he ran into the building, hoping to put his stuff away before anyone else decided to come up and abuse him.

However, as much as Fran had wished for at least a peaceful morning, fate didn't want to give him that hand; he instead tensed as he felt someone come up behind him, putting their arms out and trapping him by the locker.

"Well, if it isn't the little slut..." a sly voice hissed into the boy's ear. "I sincerely doubt someone raped you – I mean, who _would _want to so much as _touch _you? But then again, if someone's desperate enough, I guess they'll go for whatever's easiest. You have a boyfriend, don't you? I bet he's just using you for sex because there's no_ way _someone would love you."

Fran tensed, having heard the same thing from Mammon. Was it really true...? Was he really that hated, even _Bel _didn't love him...?

"But you know... You _are _pretty easy, so..."

Fran whimpered as a hand started trailing down his side, coming to rest on the front of his pants. He felt tears well up in his eyes as he struggled to get free, only to have his front slammed against the locker by the stronger body that felt as if it were crushing him.

"...If you want to go around making up lies such as, _I was raped, feel sorry for me! _I'll give you something to talk about..."

Fran's eyes widened as he felt something hard start grinding into his rear, and he couldn't help but scream as memories assaulted him. He could hear laughter and mutters surrounding him, but that didn't matter; he just wanted this to stop.

"What's going on here?!"

"Fran!"

Wide teal eyes turned at Mukuro's voice, finding the blue-haired male running towards the commotion with the principal at his heels.

"Get off him!" Mukuro snarled, grabbing Fran's assaulter by the collar of his school shirt. He tossed the other student towards the principal before he gathered Fran into his arms, picking the shocked boy up. "Fran, let's get your stuff and we'll go back home – I'm really sorry I made you come back. I'm so, _so _sorry, little one..."

Fran started sobbing as he reached out towards his locker, grabbing the combination lock. He undid it, letting the locker swing open.

Mukuro shifted Fran so that the boy was supported with one forearm, careful as he packed everything in the locker back into the schoolbag.

"We're going home, Fran..." Mukuro was quick to get everything done and, once the bag was full, slipped the strap over his shoulder before taking the few textbooks that hadn't fit in into his arms. "We're going home..."

Mukuro slammed the locker door closed before he pushed past the students, angry at himself for not having taken the time to try and understand Fran's emotions. He felt horrible, but he could only imagine how Fran was feeling when _he _was the one to have been put through all of this.

_**~~XX~~**_

When Bel got a phone call from Mukuro that afternoon saying that Fran was in a bad state and wanted him, the blond didn't hesitate to go out to Kyouya's home. Mukuro quickly explained the situation to him, and Bel knew he had to do something.

"Froggy?" Bel had been led down the hallway by Kyouya to Fran's room, and once the skylark had left him, he slowly slid the rice paper door open. He poked his head into the room, finding Fran curled up in his bed, tucked away in the corner of the large room. "Froggy, I'm here."

Fran moved over towards the wall, making room on the bed for the older male. He curled up against Bel's side once the blond was on the bed with him, just wanting the other's comfort.

"Are you alright, Froggy?" Bel wrapped his arms tightly around the other, having been told what had happened today – he knew Fran would be far from alright, but what else was he supposed to ask in this situation?

"Senpai..." Fran sighed as he snuggled in closer. He rested his head on the strong chest, his fingers curling into Bel's favourite striped shirt. "Senpai, I want... to have sex with you..."

Bel was surprised by these words, Fran wanting sex the last thing he would have thought the younger would say so soon. "What?"

"I want to have sex with you..." Fran glanced away at his own words, as if he was making _himself _uncomfortable. "I can't... I never wanted... _him_... I only ever wanted Bel-senpai to be my first... And he _took _that from me... Senpai... I want to forget it... Forget it all... Please...?"

"Froggy, you can't rush yourself into something like this – especially after what you just went through." Bel reached out, caressing teal strands. "I don't think you're ready for something like this, and you'll only make it worse."

"No, I won't," the younger protested. "I'll... I'll be fine... It wasn't _you _he took it from."

Obscured eyes narrowed at these words, and Bel couldn't help but speak in a bitter tone. "Aren't you forgetting he was _my _first, too? Maybe the situations were different... but he still took things from me you have _no idea _about, Froggy..."

Fran kept his mouth closed, knowing he had been wrong in that accusation. He instead nodded.

"...Are you sure you want to do this?" Bel reached out, caressing a pale cheek tenderly. He closed in slowly, pressing their lips together. "You can take as long as you need, Froggy; I have a hand, remember?"

"I know you do, senpai; you use it every night, anyway. I'm sure, senpai. Please... I just... want to forget it..."

Bel nodded. He reached out, pressing down on the boy's shoulders so that Fran was lying on his back. He climbed on top of the boy, holding himself up so that he wasn't crushing the small boy with his weight.

"Bel-senpai..." Fran lifted his head, kissing his boyfriend again. "Be gentle, alright...?"

"Yes, Froggy." Bel had never been so tender with Fran before, the tips of his fingers ghosting down Fran's face. "We'll take it slow, alright? If you need me to stop, I will."

"Thank you, senpai..." Fran dropped his head back to the pillow as he watched the other, having once been waiting for this moment with unbridled eagerness – now, he wasn't sure he'd enjoy this as much as he used to think he would.

Fran closed his eyes as he felt the other kiss him again. He reached up, tangling his fingers in blond locks, sucking in a deep breath as he felt the older male start pressing their hips together. This was a familiar position for them, but it was one they hadn't partaken in since the assault.

"Bel-senpai..." The sensations Bel was giving him wasn't as strong as it used to be, something Fran had suspected would happen. "Senpai..."

The blond slipped a hand beneath the boy's shirt, careful to skip past all the scarring and instead rest his fingers against a tiny nub. Fran let out a soft sigh, turning his head to the side.

"Is it okay, Froggy?" Bel was undeniably excited, considering how soon they'd just started, but he didn't mind stopping if he had to – while he was impatient by nature, he didn't want to hurt _his _frog. He leant down and kissed the younger when he received a nod in reply, doing his best to make Fran comfortable.

Fran could slowly feel the heat pooling in his groin, but it was nothing like it used to be; it felt weak, almost hesitant to a point.

The stronger male had started lifting Fran's shirt up by now, ready to take it off the scrawny body beneath him, but he stopped when the other gasped and tiny hands shot out to stop him.

"N-no..." Fran avoided eye contact as he gulped heavily, his hands starting to shake as he tried to push Bel's own away from his body. "...L-leave it on, please..."

Bel nodded in understanding, pulling his hands back to his own person. He kissed Fran again, nibbling gently on the younger's bottom lip. When he pulled his face back, he asked, "What about your pants?"

"...Can you fit past them...?" Fran was nervous, and the other couldn't blame him. "I don't... want you to look at them... Especially _during_..."

"I know..." The truth was, Bel didn't want to look at the scarring either – but there was no way he was going to admit that to his soon-to-be lover. "It might be uncomfortable trying to do it that way, but we'll work something out, Froggy~ Do you want me to keep my clothes on, too~?"

Fran nodded; it was so much more comforting having that familiar purple-and-black striped shirt Bel loved so much against him – Fran had curled up in it countless times before, and it had always been somewhat of a reassurance to him.

"Okay, then, Froggy~" Bel reached down, unzipping his pants. He pushed them past his hips just far enough for his arousal to come out, doing the same to Fran's.

Fran squeezed his eyes shut as he felt a large hand wrap around his shaft, and it was almost too much for him – he was certain that if he didn't have Bel's soothing voice, he'd have begged and cried for them to stop already.

"Froggy knows the prince would never hurt him," the blond promised, bringing his own arousal to rest against Fran's. He pumped them both slowly as he brought a hand over to Fran's face, resting three fingers against pale lips. He smiled apologetically before he explained, "The prince wanted to use some lube and condoms with Froggy, but he didn't think he'd be having sex today – he didn't bring any with him~"

"That's okay, senpai; I wouldn't have expected it, either."

"Next time, Froggy~ I'll make it as special as I can next time~"

Fran accepted the fingers into his mouth, sucking on them slowly. He was trying to focus on what Bel was doing with his hands, knowing that, no matter what, Bel would try his hardest to make it as different to what Mammon had done as possible.

Bel let out of a soft moan at the sensations running through his groin. He hoped Fran was feeling as good as he was, and the important thing was that the boy was accepting of this.

"The prince is really happy today, Froggy~" Bel smiled down at the younger, enjoying the sensation of a hot tongue wrapping around his digits. "He's been looking forward to this for a very long time~"

Teal eyes gave the stronger male a soft look before he pulled his mouth away from the fingers, reaching out to caress the blond's cheeks. "I know, senpai..."

Bel kissed the corner of Fran's lips before he trailed his mouth down to the younger's neck, licking and sucking as he went. He rubbed his fingers against Fran's entrance, not making any move to push them in just yet – not until the other knew just how much he was loved.

"Are you ready, Froggy?" Bel brought his lips back up, kissing the boy's forehead, his cheeks, and then the tip of his nose. He kissed Fran when he received a nod in reply, moving down the smaller body so that he could wrap his mouth around a semi-hard erection.

Fran moaned softly as he felt the wet cavern take him in deeply. He reached out, taking hold of blond hair again, moaning louder when Bel started licking at the base. His breathing became harder when he felt the first finger slide past his tight ring of muscles, and he appreciated the effort Bel was making in trying to keep him distracted.

Bel sucked harder as he started prodding his finger around, searching for the bundle of nerves he had so often fantasised about touching. He could hear Fran start to whimper, so looking up through blond bangs, he frowned when he saw the boy trying to hold back tears.

Pulling away from the boy completely, Bel didn't hesitate lean up over the younger and join their lips together softly. He didn't mind when he wasn't given entrance into Fran's mouth; he instead just caressed the student's cheek with his thumb, trying to show the teal-haired male he wasn't going to hurt him.

"Do you want me to stop?" Bel wished with all his being Fran would say yes, knowing it was too soon for them to be doing this, and that Fran may make it worse for himself if he kept it up. "I think we should."

Fran sobbed before he leant up, wrapping his arms around the man's neck. He buried his face in against a warm throat before he nodded, wishing with all his being he was strong enough to keep going.

"No more..." Fran whispered, letting the tears fall freely from his eyes. "No more..."

"I know, Froggy..." Bel reached down, zipping himself back up. He then went to do the same to Fran before he stopped himself, worried that he may only upset his boyfriend further if he did such a thing. "Do you want me to tuck you back in?"

Fran shook his head, his hands reaching down and fumbling as they worked to put himself back into his pants. He started to tremble when Bel wrapped strong around him, hating himself for having led the blond on and getting his hopes up like this – he knew how much his boyfriend had been looking forward to this, and he felt horrible.

"It's okay, Froggy." Bel tried to will his erection away, not wanting to leave the younger alone in favour of self-pleasure. "Froggy did nothing wrong; I'm okay with waiting for you – I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I love you, Bel-senpai..." Fran reached up, wiping at his tear-filled eyes. "I love you so much..."

"I love you, too, Froggy." Bel ran gentle fingers through teal locks. "Have a sleep; you'll feel better if you do."

"Stay with me?"

"Of course."

Bel laid them both down, bringing the younger to rest on his chest. He wrapped his arms securely around the smaller male, not intending on letting _anyone _ever hurt him again.


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm going to end this fic here as there's really not much else I can do with it instead of keeping it running in circles, and I didn't want it dragging on. I hope this chapter's to your liking. **

"Senpai... They're a big _too _aggressive, don't you think?" Teal eyes searched for obscured ones, turning his head away from the fight in front of them. He and Bel were sitting on the back porch of Squalo and Xanxus' house, watching as the silver-haired male and Lussuria went hand-to-hand so violently, it could almost be mistaken for a real fight.

"Shishi~" Bel sucked away at his juice box, shifting his position so that his back leant against the guard rail. "Wait until Squ-Squ brings out his sword; _then _he'll get 'too aggressive'. Or when he and Xanxus fight – I swear they try to kill each other for real."

"Why do both of them have such an interest in weapons? They've rubbed off on you, senpai – you and your knives."

Bel giggled again, patting his lap so that Fran would sit on it. He wrapped his arms around the younger when his request was obliged, smiling in a docile manner as he rested his chin on teal hair.

It had been a few weeks since Mukuro had pulled Fran out of school, and as Kyouya had pointed out to his lover, the boy was getting better; Fran's guardian had talked him into going for just one more week, but when it became clear that nothing was going to change and it was just making the youngest worse, Mukuro had let him leave school.

Now, without the added stress on top of him, Fran was doing well; he didn't cry as much, and though he could still be temperamental at times, he wasn't nearly as bad as he had been previously.

"Fran-kun~"

Fran looked up from where he had been grabbing his own juice box, finding the two men approaching them. He nodded in acknowledgement, making himself more comfortable on his boyfriend's lap.

"Your turn, Fran-kun~" The flamboyant man laughed as he sat down next to the two youngest males, grabbing his bottle of water he had left on the porch. "Squalo-chan says he's warmed up enough now~"

"Why would he use you to warm up with and then fight _me_?" Fran blinked as he stood up. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"Oh, he was just getting his excitement out of the way so he didn't hurt you, dear~ Both Xanxus and Squalo love to fight~ It's what they live for."

"Senpai, I don't have my will written down yet, but if you end up having to mop me up from the ground, you can have my gaming consoles." Fran handed his boyfriend his juice box before he approached Squalo, finding an eager look in dark eyes. He heard Lussuria and Bel laughing from behind him, and he vaguely wondered how he was expected to hold up against someone like _Squalo _– the man would probably kill him with just one hit.

"Alright, brat." Squalo was trembling in anticipation, very similar to the way Bel got excited at the prospect of fighting as well. "Did you go over your stances with Belphegor?"

Fran nodded, having been taught the basics by Bel. Mukuro and Kyouya had helped as well once the boy told them he was going to learn how to fight. His guardian had seemed a bit wary of him being taught, but he didn't say anything and instead taught his charge what he knew.

"Well, then, show me what you've got, brat." Squalo prepared himself, knowing not to be _too _rough until Fran had developed his skills better. He could see that the younger was fast, but Fran was uncoordinated and unconfident; not a good mixture. He let it go and instead blocked the tiny fist that was being thrown t him, retaliating with his own.

Fran grunted as he felt Squalo hit him in the shoulder, and he couldn't help but stumble slightly; the man hit hard, and he could only imagine how it felt to be hit by the long-haired male in a real fight – it certainly wouldn't tickle.

"C'mon, brat; you can do better than that." Squalo waited for Fran to compose himself before he moved again, lifting his leg this time. He swept the boy's feet out from under him, sending Fran sprawling to a heap on the ground. He snorted. "Belphegor fell down like that the first time I swept him. He cried."

"Oi!" Bel shouted, pointing accusingly at his adoptive parent. "I didn't cry! I just... had something in my eye!"

"Yeah – _tears_." Squalo smirked at the blond as he reached down, pulling Fran to his feet. "Your movements are fast, but you're hesitant."

"I've never really been much of a fighter." Fran resumed his pose, waiting for the older male to do the same. He kicked out once he knew the other was ready, but the silver-haired male dodged it with ease.

"I can see that." Squalo wasn't one to give up in training someone he saw had potential; fighting was his most favourite thing in the world, and he indulged in it as much as he could. "You've got it in you; you're just not accessing it correctly. Keep trying."

Fran nodded, trying to block the punch that was being sent his way. He succeeded in stopping it before it hit him in the stomach, but the force knocked him to his feet once again. "That one hurt."

"You'll get used to it."

Over on the porch, Lussuria and Bel turned around as they heard the back door open. Xanxus was coming out, a packaged steak in his hand. His fluffy white cat, Bester, was following him, a surprisingly very well-cared for animal considering who his owner was – Fran was convinced Xanxus cared more for the feline than he did _Squalo_.

"You finally woke up from your nap, dear." Lussuria smiled at the oldest male, careful not to agitate him more than he probably already was; he was naturally a bad-tempered person, and it always worsened for a while after his naps.

"Tell the shark trash to make me my steak." Xanxus growled, leaning against the door as he glared at everyone around him. "There had better be some fucking wine with it."

"Squalo-chan~" Lussuria and Bel stayed where they were, gathering the others' attention. Fran didn't come back to them, instead sitting where he was, watching as Squalo moved back to everyone else. "Squalo-chan, Xanxus would like his lunch, hon~"

"Why can't _he _cook it himself for a fucking change?" Squalo spat, glaring at his lover. "I'm fucking busy!"

"Ah, but Squ-Squ, you know Xanxus won't eat anyone else's cooking unless he has no choice~ Shishi~" Bel's grin made a return. "He won't even eat his _own _cooking~"

"Damn fucking straight I won't." Xanxus shoved the package into the younger's arms, grabbing long strands of hair so that he could tug the smaller male towards the house. "Make me my fucking food, you slut. Don't forget the wine."

Squalo growled. "Fucking fine! But only because you'd starve to death if I weren't here to make you your stupid fucking steak!"

While Squalo stormed back into the house, muttering angrily to himself, Xanxus regarded the younger three with cold eyes. "The fuck are you even doing out here?"

"We're teaching Fran-kun how to fight~" Lussuria clapped his hands together in his excitement.

"Hn." A hint of amusement crossed dark eyes before Xanxus sneered. "Think I can shoot at him and see how well he can dodge my bullets?"

"No!" Both Lussuria and Bel cried in succession.

Xanxus shrugged as he turned around to head back inside, most likely to piss Squalo off some more. "It's not like I haven't shot at the three of you before."

Lussuria flinched at the older male's words while Bel just laughed. "But, Xanxus; the prince has had plenty of experience dodging bullets~!"

Xanxus grunted before he went back into the house, Squalo's screams and shouts audible from outside just seconds later.

Lussuria ignored his friends' arguing and instead bounded to his feet, making his way over to the forgotten Fran. "My turn to play with Fran-kun~!"

"Oi, he's the prince's!" Bel reminded, a tad possessive at the moment; if anyone was going to be playing with Fran, it was _him_.

"I know, Bel-chan~"

Bel stayed where he was, watching as Lussuria gushed in excitement to the boy. He had almost finished his juice box, so he'd have to go back inside and try not to get caught up in the fight taking place in the kitchen just to get another one.

The blond probably wouldn't have worried about it, but Fran's box was just about empty, too, and he knew the younger was going to be thirsty after this; he'd have to brave the older males' fight in order to quench Fran's thirst.

If that wasn't dedication to his boyfriend, he didn't know what was.

_**~~XX~~**_

"I think I like your old house better, Froggy~" Bel had just followed the boy into Kyouya's home, his pet wrapped around his shoulders like usual. Neither Mukuro nor Kyouya were home, leaving them to have the run of the house. "It felt more familiar."

"That's because neither of us are Japanese, senpai." Fran headed to the kitchen first, his boyfriend tailing him. "We haven't lived in a traditional Japanese home before."

"Well, the back garden has a nice view," Bel admitted, sending the younger a lopsided grin. "I like the little stream in the middle of it~ Mink would have so much fun playing there."

"Do you want to take him out for a bit?" Fran had grabbed some of the leftover sushi from breakfast out of the fridge, putting it onto the counter so that he could put it onto two separate plates. "He wouldn't run off, would he?"

"Nope~ Mink's really good~" Bel scratched his pet beneath the chin, as if to emphasise his point.

"Just don't let him eat Kyouya's bird, or we'll both be dead."

Bel sniggered, waiting eagerly by Fran's side for his plate of food. He grinned once it was handed to him, and he couldn't help but get his chopsticks into position as they walked to Fran's bedroom, taking a few bites.

Fran stepped into his new bedroom, waiting by the rice paper door for Bel to cross the threshold. He closed it behind them, having always valued his privacy when he was in his room. He crossed the large space to the other door opposite them, sliding it open and letting the light filter in.

"Froggy has a nice view~" Bel walked out into the garden, feeling Mink jump from his shoulders. "It'd be a good thinking spot~"

Fran sat down on the deck, crossing his legs. He rested his plate on them as he ate slowly, watching the furry animal curiously investigate its new surroundings. Bel sat next to him, making short work of his food.

"Froggy is lucky to have such a good family~" Bel turned to look at the younger, chopsticks resting against his lips. "They've given him such a good life~"

"You sound jealous, senpai." Fran reached out, patting the older male's knee. "Don't be jealous; Squalo and Xanxus love you as much as Master does me."

"Yeah..." Bel sighed, pushing his plate away. He looked up into the sky, focusing on the grey rain clouds that slowly approached. "Sometimes it doesn't feel that way..."

"If you're thinking about what Mammon told you, don't." The boy stood up and stretched, leaving his lunch resting beside him. "Mammon had no idea what he was talking about – there's _no way _they _don't _love you, senpai. They give you hundreds of dollars each week, pay your rent, cover your grocery costs, but most of all, they've raised you for all these years; they wouldn't have let you be with them for this long if they didn't want you to be with them, Bel-senpai."

Bel was silent for a few seconds before he nodded, a soft smile crossing his face. "Yeah... I guess Froggy's right. Yeah, Froggy _is _right~"

"See?" Fran gave back the plate of sushi to his boyfriend. "I know what I'm talking about, senpai."

"Did the prince ever tell Froggy about that time when he was little, and he walked in on Squ-Squ and Xanxus having sex?"

"No, senpai." The boy ate slowly as he listened, always happy to hear Bel's stories.

"Well, it was storming and the prince was scared, so he went to see Squ-Squ~ They didn't even notice him standing by the door, so the prince ran forward and jumped onto Squ-Squ's back because the thunder was so loud~ Squ-Squ nearly had a heart attack, shishi~"

Fran smiled. "I bet he wasn't happy."

"Nope~ He yelled and both he and Xanxus lost interest after a while. Squ-Squ called the prince a cockblock, but let him sleep with them anyway~"

Fran laughed lightly. "See? They love you, senpai."

"Yup~ But not as much as the prince loves his Froggy~" Bel leant forward, wrapping his arms around the younger. He knocked Fran to the ground, giggling as he lay on top of Fran. "Does Froggy love his prince, too~?"

"Yes, senpai." Fran lifted his head, kissing the older male. "I love you very much."

"Shishi~ The prince wants to stay like this for longer~ Can he~?"

"Okay, senpai." Fran was sprawled out on the deck, but he didn't mind; he never minded as long as he had Bel there with him.

Bel smiled peacefully as he tightened his hold on Fran. He closed his eyes, relaxed so much, he could almost fall asleep. He knew Fran felt the same way when tiny fingers curled into his striped shirt, and the younger's breathing eventually evened itself out.

It didn't take long at all before the two were fast asleep, their fingers entwined with each other's.

_**~~XX~~**_

"Fran... Fran. Wake up."

Teal eyes cracked open at Mukuro's voice, finding the blue-haired male kneeling beside them. Kyouya was by the threshold, his bird nestled in his onyx locks.

"Master..." Fran rubbed at his eyes before he started shaking Bel awake. "Master, what's wrong...?"

"It's dinnertime, little one." Mukuro helped Bel off the boy before he reached out, taking Fran's hand in his. "C'mon; it's ready."

Fran nodded, not sure how long they had slept for, but the sky had already darkened as night approached. "Can Bel-senpai eat with us?"

Mukuro glanced back to Kyouya at this question, knowing it was up to the skylark as this was _his_ home. He smiled when the older male nodded, knowing Kyouya was being respectful of the teal-haired male's relationship.

"Yes, he can, Fran. Can you – what's that?"

Bel and Fran glanced down as something white stepped into their peripheral vision. Mink had returned from whatever he had been doing, climbing easily up his owner's body to rest on strong shoulders.

"This is Mink~" Bel grinned happily as he regarded his pet, wondering if the other two adults would like the animal; it always seemed to take others a while to warm up to his beloved pet.

Mukuro was surprised when his boyfriend stepped forward and ran a finger through silky white fur; while the skylark _did _like small animals, the blue-haired man hadn't thought Kyouya would appreciate someone else bringing their pet into _his _home.

The raven-haired male just nodded at Bel, a silent gesture that the mink was welcome back, before he moved back into the house, going to sit by the kotatsu as he waited for everyone else.

"I'll meet you two in the house, alright? Don't be too long or dinner will get cold."

"Okay, Master." Fran yawned as his guardian went back inside, turning to Bel. "I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight; I napped for too long."

"Well, you know what else we can do tonight?" Bel grinned as he reached out, picking Fran up and into the air. He spun around a few times before he hugged the younger to him, planting a sloppy kiss on a pale cheek. "Video games~!"

Fran nodded, wrapping his arms around the blond's neck as he felt himself being carried into the house. "Sounds good, senpai."

Bel giggled to himself before he started humming, content in this moment; he loved his frog more than anything, and there was _nothing _he wouldn't do for him.

Fran, likewise, felt the same. He knew that he owed his sanity – hell, even his _life _– to Belphegor, knowing he'd have been unable to cope if he didn't have the older male by his side. He would have gone insane, and he was certain that somewhere down the line, he'd have at least _tried _to take his own life – with everything he had been put through, he was just glad he was strong enough to leave his body intact, no matter how often the thoughts of self-harm had come to his mind.

Deep inside, Fran was sure Belphegor felt exactly the same way.


End file.
